carbonara – My Whisk and I

Orzo Carbonara with Mushroom

March 14, 2024March 13, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g mushrooms, sliced
200g smoked bacon, cut into pieces
30ml + 30ml butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
500ml orzo
1 litre chicken stock
15ml chopped parsley
30ml thyme leaves
125ml cream
125ml grated parmesan cheese

Place a large pan on medium-high heat, add 30ml butter, a dash of cooking and the mushrooms.
Cook until golden, spoon into a bowl and set aside.
Add the bacon pieces to the same pan and cook until crispy on the edges. Spoon into a bowl and set aside.
Add the other 30ml butter and onion to the pan and cook until soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Pour the orzo and stock into the pan, turn the heat down to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring every now and then to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. You want a cooked orzo that has absorbed most of the water.
Add the parsley, thyme and cream and stir through.
Now add the mushroom and bacon back into the pan and warm through while stirring.
Sprinkle over the parmesan, add a few grindings of black pepper and serve immediately.

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Chorizo and Spinach Carbonara

October 4, 2022October 3, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a cheat’s version of carbonara and makes a perfect weekday dinner. Feeds 4 adults.

300g dried pappardelle pasta (or spaghetti)
150g chorizo sausage, sliced
15ml thyme, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml lemon juice
45ml yoghurt
1 egg
100g baby spinach
50g parmesan cheese, grated

Fill a large saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions.
Add the chorizo to a saucepan set over medium-high heat and fry for 3 minutes.
Add the thyme and garlic and stir-fry for another minutes or so.
Add the lemon juice, yoghurt and egg to a small bowl and whisk together with a fork.
Take the saucepan from the heat and add the yoghurt mixture while stirring.
Add the spinach to the saucepan and place it back onto the heat while stirring until the spinach is wilted.
Remove from the heat and sprinkle the parmesan over.
Mix through before serving.

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Spaghetti Carbonara with Zucchini

September 23, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250g wholewheat spaghetti
4-6 zucchini
250g bacon, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
250ml cream
250ml parmesan cheese, grated
5 egg yolks

Cook the spaghetti and set aside.
Make zucchini strips by placing a zucchini on a chopping board and running a vegetable peeler over the length of it. Pull as many strips as you can, flipping the zucchini from time to time. Keep the zucchini strips aside.
Pour a small amount of vegetable oil in a saucepan, add the bacon and cook over medium heat for about 6 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Remove the bacon and garlic from the pan and set it aside.
Pour the cream in the same saucepan and bring it to a simmer.
Add the egg yolks one at a time while whisking continuously.
Add the parmesan and zucchini strips and simmer for about 2 minutes.
Now add the bacon and cooked spaghetti and toss through.
Serve the pasta with more grated parmesan and an egg yolk on top.