Rigatoni Béarnaise

I know, I know... if you are familiar with a classic Béarnaise sauce recipe, you may scorn me for not sticking to the traditional sauce recipe; but I wanted to find a dairy free version to offer to those who are lactose intolerant. Classic French Béarnaise sauce consists of lots of butter, eggs, shallots, and herbs and spices; I used what I had to create a creamy and delightful sauce that can be a perfect substitute for the savory French sauce.

Tips:

Hearty sauce - if you would like, any kind of meat can also be tossed in this dish at the end. Any ground meat or chunks of poultry would be great options. I chose ground turkey (in the picture above).
Temper, temper - there is a method that I mention in the recipe called "tempering." Tempering means that you slowly add hot liquid into an egg mixture so that the egg doesn't curdle in the sauce.

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Servings: 5-6 servings

8 ounces (2 cups or half a box) rigatoni pasta, dry
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot or small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon course ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 eggs

1/4 cup olive oil 
2 Tablespoons dry white wine

Directions: 

1) Prepare pasta according to manufacturer's instructions. Prepare the rest of the recipe while the pasta is cooking (DO NOT STRAIN).

2) In a large skillet over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil and then saute the shallot or onion until tender. Add to the pan the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

3) Take about 1 Tablespoon of the pasta water and add it into the large skillet to deglaze the pan. Remove from heat and set aside.

4) In a blender or a bowl using a stick blender, blend together the eggs, olive oil, and white wine until the sauce is smooth and has a creamy appearance. While blending, slowly drizzle in a few tablespoons of pasta water to temper the egg mixture.

5) Add the shallot mixture into the sauce and pulse a few times to blend in the vegetables and spices.   

6) Strain the pasta (reserve some water just in case) and add it into the large skillet over medium low heat. Pout the egg mixture over the pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Serve immediately.