Tagliatelle alla carbonara

Keeping to the subject of eggs, this is one of our favourite quick recipes at home. It takes as long as it takes to boil water and cook pasta to make and is an adaptation of Jamie Oliver's Liguine all carbonara di salsiccia recipe. It also only requires the most basic of pantry ingredients.

Tagliatelle alla carbonara
serves 2
cooking and prep time: less than 15 minutes

2-3 slices of good pancetta diced or a packet of diced pancetta
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g of dried egg tagliatelle
2 large free range egg yolks
50 ml of double cream *
50-60g of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Spring of fresh flat-leaf parsley choped or substitute with the dry stuff
* - can be substituted with a slightly smaller amount of milk if no cream is available

Everything happens at once so read this in whole. Cook the pancetta in a fry pan on a low heat (very lightly oiled) for the recommended 5 or so minutes (or as per packet if packet) and whilst that is going bring a large pan of water to the boil, add salt and then the dried pasta. Cook according to packet instructions.

In a bowl, gently whisk the eggs, half the parmesan and the parsley and season with pepper until mixed. When the pasta is cooked, drain the pasta reserving a small amount of the cooking water, and immediaetly return it to hot pasta pan, throw in the egg mixture and cooked pancetta and toss quickly. The egg will slowly thicken to the consistency of a silk and smooth sauce clinging to the pasta. If it becomes too thick add some of the cooking water.

This dish needs to be served immediately. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan to taste and season if neccessary. Be careful with the salt as the Parmesan is already salty.

Check out this guy's Tagliatelle Alla Carbonara with five hour egg.