Salad onion carbonara

Name: Salad onion carbonara
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 2 tbsp pine nuts or other unsalted nuts (optional); 200 g dried pasta (such as fettucine, spaghetti, linguine); 2 tbsp oil (such as olive or sunflower); 1 bunch bunch salad onions (or ½ large onion or 1 shallot), white and green parts separated, finely chopped; 50 g smoked bacon (or pancetta or ham), roughly chopped; 2 eggs; 60 g hard cheese (such as Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino), finely grated; Handful soft fresh herbs (such as flat leaf parsley, chives or dill), roughly chopped; Chiu chow chilli oil, to serve (optional)

This twist on the Italian classic is a brilliant way to use up any onions lurking in your fridge drawer. Use whatever cured meat, herbs and hard cheese you have to hand.

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Serves2
CourseMain meal
Prepare5 mins
Cook15 mins
Total time20 mins

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Ingredients

2 tbsp pine nuts or other unsalted nuts (optional)
200g dried pasta (such as fettucine, spaghetti, linguine)
2 tbsp oil (such as olive or sunflower)
½ x 1 bunch bunch salad onions (or ½ large onion or 1 shallot), white and green parts separated, finely chopped
50g smoked bacon (or pancetta or ham), roughly chopped
2 eggs
60g hard cheese (such as Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino), finely grated
Handful soft fresh herbs (such as flat leaf parsley, chives or dill), roughly chopped
Chiu chow chilli oil, to serve (optional)

Method

In a frying pan, toast the nuts (if using) over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden; tip onto a board to cool, then roughly chop. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the pack instructions.
Return the frying pan to a low-medium heat and add ½ the oil. Add the salad onion whites (or other onion) and cook for 3-5 minutes until softened; tip onto a plate. Add the bacon to the pan, turn up the heat a little and cook for 4-5 minutes until crispy, then take off the heat.
In a large bowl, use a fork to beat the eggs and three quarters of the cheese; season with black pepper. Use tongs to transfer the cooked pasta to the frying pan with the bacon, allowing a little of the water to travel with it. Add the softened onions, most of the salad onion greens, the herbs, egg mixture and remaining oil. Add a little of the pasta cooking water (if needed); toss through over a very low heat until the pasta is coated in a silky sauce. Serve scattered with the remaining cheese, the salad onion greens and nuts. A drizzle of chilli oil adds a lovely heat, if liked.