Carbonara alla romana

For ➋
200 g pasta (penne or straight macaroni)
3 yolks of organic eggs
70 g pecorino romano (18 months old)
80 g guanciale (pork jowl bacon from Amatrice, ideally aged 6-8 months)
penja pepper from the mill

Boil the pasta in strongly salted water (5 to 10 g per l), depending on the time indicated on the package.
In a mixing bowl au bain-marie, beat the egg yolks with half the cheese. Season with pepper to taste.
Bake the pieces of guanciale in a (preferably iron) pan, until golden brown and crispy. Separate the meat from the fat and set it aside so that it can be added later when the preparation is heated in a bain-marie.
Drain the pasta as soon as it is ready and put it in the bowl with the mixture of egg yolks and cheese. Heat au bain-marie like with a sabayon to lighten the dish.
Add 30 g of boiling water and the fat from the cheeks, together with the rest of the cheese and some pepper. If the mixture is too fluid, add some cheese. If it is too dry, add some cooking water from the starchy pasta.
Before serving, sprinkle a little cheese and a large pinch of pepper over the plate. Conclude with the guanciale (who must remain warm during the entire preparation). Serve at room temperature, with a glass of Franciacorta (Lombard sparkling wine)

A recipe from chef Filippo La Vecchia of Osteria Romana in Brussels.

Lemon & parsley risoni

For ➍
350 g cooked risoni (or orzo pasta)
3 tbs mustard vinaigrette
1 tbs chopped fresh parsley
1½ ts lemon zest
¼ ts salt
¼ ts ground black pepper

Toss all of the ingredients together and chill for at least 1 h before serving.
Or add 160 g canned tuna, drained, and 1 additional tbs of mustard vinaigrette to the salad.

Orzo (Italian for 'barley'), also risoni (Italian for 'big rice') is a form of short-cut macaroni, shaped like a large grain of rice.
When using it in salads and other dishes, cook in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 8-10 m or until al dente. When adding it to soups, add 10 m before ready.