Cheap & Cheerful Dinners No.1 : Pasta alla Carbonara

Since my financial position has changed (i.e. no longer living at home on social welfare) I've decided to blog a few recipes that won't break the bank to make and are authentic and delicious while still being quick enough to make when you come in from work.

This Carbonara recipe was taught to me by another of my Amster-friends Giuseppe (Italian obviously) who made it for us one night. Beforehand I was quite naive and thought that carbonara had to have cream in it. This is an authentic Italian recipe that contains no cream, no mushrooms, no onions etc. And what's more it's so quick to make.

Ingredients:

 360g Spaghetti

 200g Bacon Lardons

 2 Whole Eggs and 1 Yolk

80g Parmesan Cheese (Grated) 

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Method:

• Bring 4 litres of water to the boil & add a pinch of salt. Add Spaghetti and allow to cook.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. 
• Fry the bacon lardons until the cooked.
• Drain the cooked spaghetti, saving some of the starchy water. Add the spaghetti to the bacon in the pan & stir. 
• Add the spaghetti & bacon to the bowl with the egg/cheese mixture. The heat from the spaghetti will cook the egg. Stir, making sure the egg coats all the pasta. Add some of the starchy water if needed to coat the spaghetti. 
• Season with a little more salt & black pepper & serve with a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese. 
• Enjoy.