Courgette Carbonara

Last summer I had an abundance of courgettes and wanted to use them up. This is by no means a classic Carbonara, but it is my version and I simply love it.

Ingredients

400g pasta of your choice

4 rashers of streaky bacon

Olive oil

1 small onion

1 fat clove of garlic

2 large courgettes

150g button mushrooms

1 heaped tablespoon low-fat crème fraiche

1 heaped tablespoon low-fat cream cheese

2 egg yolks, beaten

50g Parmesan cheese, grated

Black pepper to season

Method

• Put the pasta on to cook according to the packet instructions.

• Cut up the bacon and fry it in a large saucepan with a splash of oil.

• Peel the onion and garlic and chop finely. Chop the courgette into bite-sized pieces and slice the mushrooms.

• When the bacon is nice and crispy add the garlic and onion and fry for a further 2–3 minutes. When the onion has softened, add in the courgettes and mushrooms and fry until softened.

• In a mixing bowl combine the crème fraiche, cream cheese, egg yolks and half the grated Parmesan cheese. Beat it all together and season well with black pepper. If it seems a bit thick add a splash of skimmed milk.

• When the pasta is al dente, strain it in a colander in the sink, reserving a ladleful of the cooking water. Add the pasta and a splash of the reserved cooking water to the vegetables and bacon in the saucepan. Lower the heat and add the crème fraiche sauce, stirring continually for a few minutes to cook the egg yolks through without scrambling them.

• Serve in bowls while piping hot with a sprinkle of the remaining Parmesan cheese over the top.