Classic carbonara recipe with a tomato and beetroot side salad.
400g pasta – spaghetti or your favourite shape
250g bacon medallions, roughly chopped
2tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ bunch spring onions, trimmed and chopped
100g Parmigiano Regiano, finely grated
4 large eggs
4 tbsp single cream a little chopped parsley to serve
side salad:
4 salad tomatoes, quartered
1 pack beetroots, drained and quartered
1 pack radishes, halved
salad dressing:
3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp freshly shredded basil leaves
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the pasta.
Stir, then cook on a rolling boil for around 8 minutes until al dente.
Fry the bacon in the olive oil until almost crisp, then add the garlic and spring onions, cooking for a couple more minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Beat together the eggs and cream with a little black pepper and set aside.
As the pasta finishes cooking mix together the tomatoes, beetroot and radish in a serving dish.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients then pour over the salad, stirring to mix.
Drain the cooked pasta and return to the hot pan.
Stir in the cooked bacon followed by two-thirds of the Parmigiano Reggiano.
Pour in the egg mixture, immediately stirring through the pasta – the heat from the pasta will cook the eggs to give a creamy sauce.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley, serving immediately with the remaining Parmigiano Reggiano.