I am making Spaghetti Carbonara for 8 tonight...i dont usually do cooking

[VinegarTits]

Arghhh help

I need:

The recipe
Instructions on how to cook it

Please

TIA

You need one egg per person. When I make it for two I use two egg yolks and half of one white.

So, fry the pancetta with some garlic and when it looks cooked chuck in a bit of white wine.

Mix egg whites with grated parmasan, black pepper and a little but of nutmeg is nice too.

DO NOT OVERCOOK THE SPAGHETTI.

When the spaghetti is cooked drain it and wait a bit because if you put the sauce on too quickly the eggs cook. Mix the pancetta and the sauce into the spaghetti as quick as you can and race to the table.

Here is one recipe from one of my books:

175g/6oz smoked streaky bacon, chopped
2 tbs sunflower oil
250g/8oz mushrooms, sliced
3 egg yolks, beaten
142ml/1/4 pint of single cream
4 tbs chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
salt and pepper

Fry the bacon in the oil until crisp, then remove from the pan.

Drain all but 1 tbs fat from the pan, then fry the mushrooms until soft.

Cook spaghetti (recipe doesn't give quantities - but I would do at least 75g/30z per person), drain, return to the pan and then add the egg yolks and cream and mix well.

Mix in the bacon, mushrooms, parsley, nutmet and seasoning. Garnish with parley and serve with parmesan.

Quantities for 4, so just double.

I don't make mine like this, but as I haven't a clue about quantities, thought that any recipe would be better than none!

I would add a large handful or two of grated parmesan to the egg and cream. I also add finely chopped garlic to the bacon, as well as a slosh of white wine (which I then allow to cook off, so you're left with flavour but no moisture).

And I don't use mushrooms.

But good luck and hope you enjoy it whatever you do!!!

Savoy's recipe is good.

If you can't get hold of pancetta streaky bacon works okay.

You want to boil the white wine a bit in the bacon pan and scrape the bottom to get up the bacony goodness.

You can put a splash of cream in with the eggs too.

And yes, you do not cook the eggs. You just stir them into the hot pasta and that cooks them enough.

no onion then?

or garlic biwi? we like garlic in our house

There are so many varying recipes for it that i am getting confussled

i thought it had parmesan cheese too>?

The garlic is in with the pancetta. Keep up

No onion.

I have used this one before as I like all of her recipes.

so savoycabbage, if i am making it for 8, do you surgest 8 egg yolks and 4 egg whites?

so if i cant get pancetta, then use streaky bacon and garlic?

There is grated parmesan in with the eggs Savoy's recipe (which is closest to mine). You can put more parmesan and more black pepper on the table.

Yes about that. Maybe three. I use two yolks to half a white. I try to avoid that stringy bit of the white too. I'm sure it has a name.

ok i think i have it now

thanks savoy, i will let you know how it goes

was going to do a nice green salad to go with it and some nice white wine of the table, is that apporpriate? i have no idea about these things

can i chop a load of basil to garnish the spaghetti once its done?

or is that the wrong herb to use?

White wine and green salad is definitely correct

I wouldn't use basil - we always have warm garlicky breadcrumbs on ours and a sprinkling of parmesan.

Have never had any green gerb on this to be honest.

cheers guys