Spaghetti / Linguine alla carbonara

Italian food is my idea of heaven and we usually have a pasta dish of some sort or another every week.

This is one of my favourites. It can be ready in a matter of minutes using up items that most people have in their fridges & cupboards. I add some onion & mushrooms to mine which isn't traditional but I just love them with the bacon, eggs & cheese in the recipe.

here we go then.

This will serve 2 good portions

4oz/110g  pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, diced
4oz/110g sliced mushrooms. I used chestnut mushrooms
1½ tbsp olive oil
1 small onion or 2 shallots finely diced
1 tbsp Parmesan Cheese grated
3 large eggs beaten
salt to taste plus lots of fresh black pepper
8 oz/ 225g either spaghetti or linguine

to serve.
more grated parmesan  and a sprinkling of chopped chives.

Put the olive oil into a pan and sautee the finely chopped onion for a few minutes on a medium heat
Add the bacon and cook for a further 4 minutes or so, add the mushrooms and continue cooking for a few minutes until they are cooked through.
Beat eggs and add some black pepper & the parmesan cheese
Meanwhile
Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water with an added drop of olive oil for around 8-10 minutes until  al-dente .

Drain the pasta into a colander then put it back into the hot pan, but not on the heat.
Add the bacon & mushroom mix
Add the eggs stirring them in really quickly so they don't scramble.
The hot pasta will cook the sauce without further cooking.

Serve onto hot dishes, sprinkle over more parmesan & a few chopped chives.
I love to serve this with a tomato and roquette salad.