One of Florek’s most beloved pasta dishes. Ask him what he wants to eat next week, while making Ocado shopping list, there is 90% chance he’ll say -carbonara.

I am, of course, aware of the controversies around making carbonara in Britain, using or not using cream ( I always have done), parmesan or pecorino? Garlic? Mushrooms, God forbid? This morning on telly Rick Stein was making his version, inspired by his stay in Sardinia. His plate of carbonara looked so beautiful, I convinced Florek that eating out last night was not what we’d do. We’d go to Whole Foods, get a chunk of smoked pancetta ( Michele told me later I need to try it with Guanciale, I certainly will have my eyes open when in Tuscany in October), a chunk of pecorino romano and we’d stay at home. We already had a bowl of fresh farm eggs and a good bottle of wine in the fridge.

So today I’ve made my carbonara without cream for the first time, I did, sadly, scramble the eggs- I feel it’s more difficult when a splash of cream is added. That pancetta, fried till crispy, was fantastic. It had the flavour of good pork, smoked and scrumptious. 2 cloves of garlic, crushed, cooked spaghetti in. Lots of fresh parsley. Grated pecorino ( unmistakable sheepy flavour, yum!), beaten eggs. We’ve finished the whole lot. When in Italy it will be a must to have a plate of carbonara prepared by some Italiano vero.  🙂