Asparagus & Ham Carbonara

[-pops-]

This is an adaptation of the bacon, eggs and cream sauce used on pasta - usually spaghetti - said to be a favourite of the Italian charcoal burners - hence carbonara - coal.

I invented it yesterday having been given loads of asparagus and it was an amazingly nice combination.

Very generous amount for two people.

For the sauce:

250g Fresh Asparagus

250ml Double Cream

1 very large Egg (or two small ones)

125g Smoked Cooked Ham

100g Parmigiana reggiano (Parmesan cheese)

Fresh ground Black Pepper

Good Olive Oil

Method:

Blanch the asparagus for about 5 minutes in boiling water and immerse in cold water . This helps retain the colour and prevents overcooking. Retain the water to cook the pasta in or as a basis for asparagus soup. Drain the asparagus and cut into about 1 cm lengths. If, or when, it seems to be getting woody, stop and use the woody bits for soup.

Chop the ham into pieces about the same size as the asparagus.

Finely grate the cheese - don't use that dreadful ready grated wood shavings stuff - must be fresh done. Mix in the cream, egg(s) and plenty of pepper.

Cook the pasta (whatever type you like, I made it with Linguine) according to the packet instructions. A couple of minutes before the pasta is cooked, heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan and add the ham then the chopped asparagus just to heat through. Drain the pasta, return to the pan you cooked it in and whilst still on the heat add the ham and asparagus. Stir to mix and then add the egg/cream/cheese/pepper mixture. There should be enough heat retained in the pasta to thicken and cook the sauce to a smooth mixture. If not, keep on the gentle heat and stir until cooked. Be careful not to overcook as it will scramble (nothing wrong with that in taste, it just doesn't look so nice).

Serve with extra cheese if you like.

Note this doesn't need salt except for cooking the pasta. There is enough saltiness in the cheese and ham already.

(For those who can remember I have a lactose intolerance, if the occasion demands, I can take an enzyme preparation to temporarily counteract this.)

I will post my version of Asparagus soup tomorrow when I've made it again and checked its credentials.

[andsome]

Sounds good. plenty of asparagus about at present. :D

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Sounds excellent! However, I have never used cream for carbonara; just eggs, cheese (parmigiano & pecorino), and lots of freshly ground or crushed black pepper. I mix this (and the bacon or pancetta, sauteed with finely chopped onions in olive oil) with the freshly drained pasta, and it will just form a creamy sauce. The asparagus seems like a fine addition to this classical dish

P.S. In my favorite trattoria they add a few drops of truffle oil before serving - that makes it really special! :P

[Irene]

Mmmmmmmmmmm

Sounds yummy. I'll have a go at that one. :D

[artist]

Sounds yummy. I'll have a go at that one. :D

Definately!!

Easy and quick too - my kind of cooking.

[-pops-]

Pat, I've had carbonara in Italy both with (Venice) and without (Milan) cream. I don't think there is a standard. I use cream in it to give better control over the sauce - with cream there is a somewhat lesser chance of the sauce coagulating - which was what had happened to it in Milan.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Yes, we wouldn't want that to happen: spaghetti omelet... :D