SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA
Ingredients
- 225 g dried spaghetti or make your own pasta – just halve the recipe on the post, using 2 small eggs & one cup of flour
- 150 g sliced smoked pancetta or bacon will do – or leave out for vegetarian
- 2 large eggs plus 2 extra yolks
- 4 tbsp Pecorino Romano or Parmesan finely grated, plus extra to serve
- 4 tbsp Crème Fraiche or cream, if you want to risk alienation and condemnation!
- A little olive oil
- Freshly milled black pepper & chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Instructions
- First of all, cook the pasta (dried or freshly made) for 8-10 minutes in boiling salted water to which 1 teaspoon of olive oil has been added (when it’s done reserve about a cup of the water the pasta has been cooking in). Meanwhile, heat a frying pan and fry the pancetta (or bacon) without any extra oil until it’s crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Keep the pan aside.
- Next, whisk the eggs, yolks and Crème Fraiche (or cream) in a bowl and season generously with black pepper then whisk in the cheese.
- When the pasta is cooked, drain it quickly in a colander, leaving a little of the moisture still clinging. Add the pasta to the pan of pancetta (along with the oil in the pan) and give it a quick stir. If it needs a little extra moisture, add just a little of the pasta water – you’ll amazed at how much the starchy water will improve the texture. Now add the egg and cream mixture. Stir quickly, so that everything gets a good coating (the egg cooks as it comes into contact with the hot pasta), but don’t linger too long or the egg may start to scramble.
- Serve the pasta immediately on really hot plates. Grind a little black pepper over top, and sprinkle over some chopped flat leaf parsley for a bit of colour. Serve with some extra grated Pecorino (or Parmesan). Enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how if you liked it in the comments below!