chorizo and courgette carbonara

Unlike most children my favourite spaghetti sauce as a child was carbonara rather than bolognese. Nowadays however I find it overly rich and heavy, and on the rare occasion that I’m lured by fond memories into ordering it I’ll always struggle to finish the entire plateful, despite the first couple of mouthfuls being heavenly. This spin on the original is a much lighter version – thanks to the addition of courgettes and the piquant chorizo, both of which help to cut through the creaminess of the sauce. Delicious and wonderfully indulgent – I have absolutely no problems polishing off a plate of this anytime!

Chorizo Courgette Carbonara
serves 2

100g (0.2 lb) chorizo, casings removed and chopped
2 medium courgettes, julienned
200g (0.4 lb) spaghetti
100ml (2/5 cup) double cream
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 tbsp olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt

Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling water with a pinch of salt according to packet instructions until al dente.

At the same time, heat the olive oil on a medium-high heat and fry the chorizo for 5-6 minutes, until the pieces start to crisp up a little on the outside. Add the courgettes to the pan and stir, continue cooking for another minute or two, until the courgettes are just cooked but not mushy.

In a small bowl mix together the beaten egg yolks with the cream. Set aside.

When the pasta is ready, drain and immediately toss through the chorizo and courgette mixture (which should still be hot, but the fire on the stove turned off). Pour in the egg and cream, letting the heat of the pasta cook the eggs.

Serve immediately (there’s nothing worse than cold Carbonara!).

~ by gourmettraveller on December 9, 2009.