Serves 4 as Appetizer
This recipe is well-known all over Italy and has become one of my children’s favorites. It’s easy, it’s fast but it does include a little cream, which isn’t a staple in my kitchen, so I can’t always whip it up. There are many vegetables you can add to make it a little more nutritious. Peas, fava beans, zucchini, asparagus and leafy greens have all been a success in my home.
Ingredients:
4-6 thinly-sliced ham slices or prosciutto, chopped into 1/4 inch squares
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup of chopped vegetables such as peas or fava beans
1/4 cup greater parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons cream
1 egg, mixed
Fresh pepper
Instructions:
In a medium sized pan heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the onions and stir gently over medium heat until they turn golden, about 8-10 minutes.
Lower the heat, add the ham and the vegetables and cover. You want the ham to brown but not crisp up, about 5-7 minutes.
Drain the pasta reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.
Add the cream to the egg and mix well in a small bowl. Take about 1/4 cup hot pasta water and slowly pour into the egg mixture. This will temper the eggs and ensure that they don’t curdle up when mixed with the hot pasta.
Add pasta and 1/2 cup pasta water to the pan with the onions and ham and then slowly add the eggs. Mix well.
Don’t let it boil but continue to keep it on the heat for 1-3 minutes to make sure that the egg is a little cooked.
Mix the pasta and sauce well in the pan, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, crack some fresh pepper and serve immediately.
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Hi Kathrin! How much pasta should be cooked for this recipe? I am always looking for variations on carbonara and would love to try this one. Thank you!
Hi Stephanie. Great question. This amount of sauce would be perfect for 1/2 lb pasta, but you can stretch it to 3/4 lb. If you want to make 2 lbs, I’d double the recipe. My boys love it! Let me know how it works out. I’d love to hear. Talk soon and thank you for visiting. Kathrin