Fake-bonara (or Creamy, Cheesy Pasta with Pancetta)

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A CARBONARA AND I AM NOT PRETENDING THIS IS ONE.

That’s why I call it a fake-bonara. And the only thing it has in common with carbonara is that it is delicious. Oh, also cheese and egg. Let me dive into it for you!

What do you need? (4 servings)

• 2 shallots, finely chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

• 250ml cream

• 200g of bacon or pancetta lardons

• 80g of grated parmesan (try to buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself. Worth it, trust me!)

• 350g - 400g pasta (about 80g - 100g per person)

• 4 eggs, whole

• pepper to taste

What do you need to do?

Start by heating up the bacon or pancetta lardons. Once the fat renders, add the shallot and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant. Add the cream and parmesan and stir everything to combine. Leave on a very low heat. The sauce will turn a little bit golden and that is exactly how you want it.

Meantime, boil you pasta according to the packet instructions. Once boiled, save a bit of cooking water and drain the rest. Add the pasta to the pan with the sauce together with some of the water. Stir gently to combine.

Serve and add the egg at the last minute on the plate. Traditionally, for a REAL carbonara you only use the egg yolk, but I use the whole egg and incorporate everything well before tucking in because this is FAKE-bonara ;) Top with some black pepper, freshly ground, and if you need some more cheese (of course you do) you can grate a bit more on top.