Bacon and Leek Carbonara Pasta

This is a simple and quick mid-week dinner. It is filling and a lighter (just) carbonara recipe and is very simple.

Ingredients:

• 180 grams pancetta or lardons
• 1 leek
• 50 grams of parmesan cheese or other hard cheese
• 2 egg yolk
• 200 grams spaghetti or here Fusilli Lunghi
• cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 pinch salt

Method:

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil with the pinch of salt and add pasta.
2. Add oil, pancetta and chopped leek to the pan and fry on a medium heat until leeks have softened, about 10 minutes. Take off the heat and add a pinch of black pepper.
3. Grate the parmesan into a heat proof bowl and add two tablespoons of water from the pasta’s cooking water. Mix this in until it reaches a paste consistency. Add to the pan with the pancetta and add the egg yolks. Ensure that the pancetta is not too hot when adding this or the egg will split.
4. Drain the pasta, reserving some water in a jug. Add the pasta to the pan, and mix into the sauce, adding some cooking water to loosen the sauce if necessary.

Serve your midweek meal with a light salad.