Spaghetti alla Carbonara

This tastes so much better than the shop bought sauce, and although we've used spaghetti here it goes really well with Tagliatelle as you get more of the sauce sticking to the pasta…yummy.

Serves 4
Prep time 20 mins
Cooking time 30mins
Ingredients

• 425g/15oz Dried spaghetti
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1-2 Garlic cloves, chopped
• 175g/6oz Pancetta or rindless bacon
• 25g/1oz/2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 175g/6oz Mushrooms
• 300ml/½ pint/1 ¼ cups double (heavy) cream
• 3 Eggs, beaten
• 100g/3 ½oz/1 cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving.
• Salt and Black pepper

Method

• Bring a large pan of water to the boil adding 1 tbsp of olive oil.
• On a rolling boil drop in the spaghetti and cook until al dente.(firm to the touch)
• Drain and return to the pan to keep warm.
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan add the onion and cook until translucent.
• Add the bacon and garlic and fry until bacon is crispy.
• Set aside in a warmed dish.
• Melt the butter in the frying pan, adding the mushrooms and fry for about 3-4 minutes.
• Return the bacon mixture to the pan,cover and keep warm.
• Mix together the eggs, cream and cheese in a large bowl, season with salt and black pepper.
• Pour the spaghetti into frying pan with the bacon mixture.
• Pour over the eggs and toss the spaghetti quickly into the egg and cream mixture.
• Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top or offer separately.

Garnish

• Basil, chopped

Equipment

• Large frying pan
• Warmed dish

Cooks tip

• If you keep all the ingredients hot enough and work quickly you avoid scrambling the eggs.

Shopping List

• Spaghetti
• Onion
• Garlic
• Pancetta
• Mushrooms
• Cream
• Parmesan cheese