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Monday 31 March 2014

Courgette Carbonara

Courgette Carbonara

sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 medium green and yellow courgettes
500 g penne
4 large free-range egg yolks
100 ml single cream
1 small handful Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
olive oil
6 slices higher-welfare back bacon, cut into chunky lardons
1 small bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped, flowers reserved (if you can get hold of flowering thyme)
a few courgette flowers, optional

Method

Carbonara is a classic pasta sauce made with cream, bacon and Parmesan and is absolutely delicious. Try to buy the best ingredients you can, as that's what really helps to make this dish amazing. I'm using a flowering variety of thyme but normal thyme is fine to use. When it comes to the type of pasta, you can serve carbonara with spaghetti or linguine, but I've been told by Italian mammas (who I don't argue with!) that penne is the original, so that's what I'm using in this recipe. Before you start cooking, it's important to get yourself a very large pan, or use a high-sided roasting tray so you can give the pasta a good toss.

  • Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. 
  • Halve and then quarter any larger courgettes lengthways. Cut out and discard any fluffy middle bits, and slice the courgettes at an angle into pieces roughly the same size and shape as the penne. Smaller courgettes can simply be sliced finely. 
  • Your water will now be boiling, so add the penne to the pan and cook according to the packet instructions.
  • To make your creamy carbonara sauce, put the egg yolks into a bowl, add the cream and half the Parmesan, and mix together with a fork. Season lightly and put to one side.
  • Heat a very large frying pan (a 35cm one is a good start – every house should have one!), add a good splash of olive oil and fry the pancetta or bacon until dark brown and crisp. Add the courgette slices and 2 big pinches of black pepper, not just to season but to give it a bit of a kick. Sprinkle in the thyme leaves, give everything a stir, so the courgettes become coated with all the lovely bacon-flavoured oil, and fry until they start to turn lightly golden and have softened slightly.
  • It's very important to get this next bit right or your carbonara could end up ruined. You need to work quickly. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving a little of the cooking water. Immediately, toss the pasta in the pan with the courgettes, bacon and lovely flavours, then remove from the heat and add a ladleful of the reserved cooking water and your creamy sauce. Stir together quickly. (No more cooking now, otherwise you'll scramble the eggs.)
  • Get everyone around the table, ready to eat straight away. While you're tossing the pasta and sauce, sprinkle in the rest of the Parmesan and a little more of the cooking water if needed, to give you a silky and shiny sauce. Taste quickly for seasoning. If you've managed to get any courgette flowers, tear them over the top, then serve and eat immediately, as the sauce can become thick and stodgy if left too long.

Orange-roasted carrots with rocket and ricotta

Orange-roasted carrots with rocket and ricotta

4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1½ tsp cumin seeds, roasted
1½ tsp picked thyme leaves
¼ tsp red chilli flakes
1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
90ml olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1kg carrots, peeled and sliced into long batons about 8cm x 2cm
½ large orange
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp runny honey
150g ricotta
½ tsp grated orange zest
20g rocket
10g fresh basil leaves, torn

Method

  • Heat the oven to 200C. Put the garlic, cumin, thyme, chilli, vinegar and 60ml of olive oil in the small bowl of a food processor, with a teaspoon and a half each of salt and ground black pepper. Blend for a minute, until smooth.
  • Spread out the carrots on a medium baking tray (about 22cm x 32cm) and pour on the marinade. Put the orange half cut side down on top of the carrots, then roast for 40 minutes, until the carrots are cooked through and starting to caramelise. Set aside to cool.
  • For the dressing, squeeze the juice from the roast orange half into a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, honey, remaining olive oil and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt, whisk to combine, then set aside.
  • Put the ricotta and orange zest in a small bowl with an eighth of a teaspoon of salt. Mix well, then tip into the centre of a clean J-Cloth. Draw up the sides of the cloth and squeeze out some of the moisture. Return the cheese to the bowl (discard the cloth) and put in the fridge until needed.
  • To serve, spread half the rocket on a large serving plate, top with half the carrots and half the basil, then repeat. Dot spoonfuls of ricotta all over the salad, pour the dressing on top and tuck in.