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Pasta Carbonara
This dish is all about not overcooking the pasta and not letting the egg cook to a scramble once it’s added — the egg should coat the pasta like a creamy sauce. Use cream instead of water for a richer sauce.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Serves
4
Dinner
Quick & Easy
Kids
$
Ingredients
400g/14oz dried pappardelle or fettucine
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
6 rashers bacon, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lemon, finely grated zest of
4–5 eggs
2 tbsp cold water, or cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup coarsely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
2-3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
Method
Cook the pasta in a big pot of salted boiling water for 1 minute less than packet instructions.
Drain into a colander, reserving a little of the cooking water.
While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a frypan and cook bacon until crispy.
Add garlic and lemon zest and sizzle without browning (about 20 seconds).
In a bowl whisk the eggs with water or cream, season with salt and pepper and mix in the parmesan.
Return the cooked, drained pasta to the cooking pot with 2 tbsp cooking water and heat for a minute with the bacon mixture and its cooking oil, tossing to combine – the pasta needs to be nice and hot.
Remove from the heat, add the egg mixture and stir to coat – don’t return it to the heat or it will scramble.
Mix in parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately with extra parmesan if desired.
