Creamy Spaghetti Carbonara

For a change, you could replace the bacon in this recipe with stripes of smoked salmon, which obviously don't need any cooking, and use dill instead of parsley.

Step one

Plunge the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling, salted water, stir once and cook at a rolling boil for 10-12 minutes until al dente.

Step two

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir in the pancetta and cook for another 2-3 minutes until sizzling and lightly golden.

Step three

Break the egg into a bowl. Add the cream, two-thirds of the Parmesan and all the parsley. Add some seasoning, then whisk slightly.

Step four

Drain the spaghetti and return to the hot pan. Quickly pour in the egg mixture and the pancetta mixture and toss well to combine; the heat from the spaghetti will cook the egg. Serve with the remaining Parmesan scattered on top.