Chef Avtar Singh Rana’s Tortellini Carbonara
Italian Classic • Garlic Bread • Olive Tapenade
A luxurious Italian-inspired dish featuring tender cheese-filled tortellini coated in a silky Parmesan and egg sauce, finished with crispy pancetta, cracked black pepper, and fresh herbs.
30 min, Total time, Servings 4
1. Ingredients
Tortellini carbonara
500 g fresh cheese tortellini
150 g pancetta or bacon, diced
3 large egg yolks
1 whole egg
100 g finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
1 small garlic clove, optional
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
100–150 ml reserved pasta water, as needed
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp chopped parsley or chives, optional
Chef’s note: Traditional carbonara uses eggs, hard cheese, cured pork and black pepper. Cream is not necessary; the egg and cheese create the silky sauce.
2. Garlic bread
1 small baguette or 8 slices rustic bread
60 g softened butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp olive oil
20 g grated Parmesan, optional
3. Olive tapenade
150 g pitted Kalamata or mixed olives
1 tbsp capers, rinsed
1 small garlic clove
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp chopped parsley
Black pepper, to taste
2. Method
Step 1 — Cook the tortellini
Bring salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to package directions until tender but firm. Reserve a cup of pasta water, then drain.
Step 2 — Crisp the pancetta
Place pancetta in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until golden and crisp. Add optional garlic for the final 30 seconds. Keep a little rendered fat in the pan.
Step 3 — Prepare the carbonara base
Whisk egg yolks, whole egg, grated cheese and black pepper in a bowl until thick. Add a spoonful of warm pasta water gradually to loosen the mixture.
Step 4 — Create the silky sauce
Toss the drained tortellini with pancetta and its fat. Remove the pan from direct heat. Add the egg-cheese mixture and toss continuously, adding pasta water a little at a time until glossy and creamy.
Important: Do not boil the sauce after adding eggs, or they may scramble.
Step 5 — Prepare garlic bread
Mix butter, garlic, parsley and olive oil. Spread over bread and toast at 400°F (205°C) for 6–10 minutes until golden. Add Parmesan if desired.
Step 6 — Make the olive tapenade
Pulse olives, capers, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil into a coarse paste. Fold in parsley and season with black pepper.
3. Fine-dining plating by Chef Avtar Singh Rana
Place the tortellini in a warm, shallow ceramic bowl, arranging a few pieces visibly on top.
Spoon the glossy carbonara sauce around the pasta.
Garnish with crispy pancetta, fine Parmesan shavings, cracked black pepper and micro herbs.
Serve three golden garlic bread slices alongside.
Present the olive tapenade in a small ramekin, with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Signature finishing touch: Use a restrained Parmesan crisp and a few microgreens for height, keeping the creamy tortellini as the focal point.
Food-safety note: The sauce contains eggs. Use pasteurized eggs if serving guests who are at higher risk from foodborne illness, and follow your establishment’s food-safety procedures.
