Nigella's Carbonara

Nigella’s latest TV shows are on here in Sydney at the moment. She is gorgeous. I love her. Best of all, her recipes have always pleased me. I cannot recall one that has ever failed me.

That means a lot, as I could tell you several others whose recipes often fail! I’m not sure why this is. I think it’s because she’s my type of woman! She writes her recipes like you’re standing there with her in the kitchn. I’ve always thought the 2 of us would have a great time over a bottle of wine with something nice to nibble on.

Several things she is creating in this latest series have me interested but carbonara is the first one I’ve made. Mainly because I had everything at home, and it was exactly what I felt like. I consider myself quite a carbonara expert as an old friend used often requested it. It’d been a few years though, but it all came flooding back. I don't I used wine or vermouth in the one I used to make, but this works really well and is a welcome addition.

Nigella’s recipe works nicely and there’s no chance of scrambling the eggs if you follow her instructions. Nigella didn’t use mushrooms BTW, that was my call. I know there's lovers and haters so do as you please, it'd be tasty with out them too.

500 grams fettuccini
2 cups diced bacon
1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 tsp olive oil
¼ cup dry white wine or vermouth
4 eggs
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
¼ cup cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg

Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta and cook the according to the packets instructions.

In another large pan that will fit the pasta later, cook the bacon and mushrooms in the oil until crispy but not crunchy. Pour over the white wine or vermouth and let it bubble away so that, after a few minutes, you have a small amount of salty wine-y syrup left. Remove the pan from the heat.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs, Parmesan, cream, and pepper.

When the pasta is done, remove approximately ½ cup of the pasta water before you drain it.
Put the pan with the bacon cubes back on the heat and add the drained pasta, tossing well to coat with the syrupy bacon and mushrooms.

Remove the pan from the heat again and add the eggs and cheese mixture, swiftly tossing everything to mix. Thin with pasta water, if you feel like it needs it. Grind over some more pepper and grate over the nutmeg to serve.


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