Sort ingredients
amandab
QR Code
Listen
Pdf
Make the sauce base: In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk, half-and-half, and Parmesan until smooth. Set aside.
Cook the tortellini: In a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add tortellini, stir once, and cook until al dente, about 5–7 minutes. Before draining, scoop out 1–2 tablespoons of pasta water. Drain gently.
Cook the bacon: In a 10-inch skillet, add bacon to a cold pan. Heat over medium until crisp and golden, about 7–8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings for the sauce.
Build flavor: Using the same skillet with 1 tablespoon bacon fat, melt the butter over medium-low. Add garlic and Calabrian chili peppers. Cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Reduce heat to low.
Combine pasta: Add peas and drained tortellini to the skillet, tossing in the buttery, garlicky, chili-infused bacon fat. Remove skillet from heat. Pour in the egg–Parmesan–half-and-half mixture, stirring quickly to coat the pasta without scrambling the egg. Add splashes of reserved pasta water until the sauce is silky and clings to the tortellini. Stir in frozen sweet peas.
Finish: Add the bacon back in. Season with cracked black pepper and taste for salt. Add a couple pinches of garlic powder. Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.