Spaghetti Carbonara - for Danielle

This was one of those meals when you look in the fridge and you just can't decide what to eat! I was planning to cook spaghetti with panchetta and mushrooms with some baby spinach but Sam suggested we do spaghetti carbonara - not too many ingredients and so quick and easy to make. Carbonara always reminds me of a dinner I cooked many years ago when we were back in Dublin for Christmas. We had some of our friends round to dinner when I said I was making carbonara, my great friend Danielle asked does that have many eggs in it! I said not that many ...........don't worry you will love it. She was not a great fan of eggs anyway little did she know there were 6 eggs in that carbonara and sure enough she loved it! She has never let me forget. Those little white lies come in handy when I am cooking for fussy children from time to time! This recipe has less eggs and is just delicious. Try it.... even if you are not so keen on eggs! 

Ingredients
400g spaghetti
1 tbsp olive oil
200g pancetta cubes or streaky bacon, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 eggs
75ml double cream
50g Parmesan finely grated, plus extra to serve 

Method

1. Bring a large, deep pan of salted water to the boil. Put 400g spaghetti into the water, stir well and cook, following pack instructions. Aim for 'al dente': cooked, but retaining some bite in the middle. 
2. Fry the pancetta. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. When hot, tip in 200g smoked pancetta cubes or chopped streaky bacon. Fry over a medium heat until the fat in the meat has melted down into the pan and the meat has turned lightly golden. Remove from the heat and set aside. 
3. Crack 2 of the eggs into a mixing bowl. Separate the yolk from the third egg, tip the yolk in with the other eggs and beat together, along with 75ml double cream, 50g finely grated Parmesan cheese and some seasoning. 
4. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves to the pancetta and return frying pan to hob. Fry over high heat for 1 min or until garlic is cooked and pancetta warmed through. Meanwhile, drain spaghetti. Tip back into the hot saucepan off the heat. Pour egg mixture over pasta, followed by hot pancetta, garlic, any fat and oils. Toss quickly and mix until it has thickened to a smooth, creamy sauce. Serve with extra cheese and freshly ground pepper.

Recipe from BBC Good Food