Welcome to the most controversial Italian recipe in history. Purists, look away!
I learned how to make this from Antonio Carluccio at the Good Food and Wine Show, but I have made it my own by using chorizo instead of the traditional guanciale.
The oil from the chorizo gives it a special paprika colour and a Spanish twist.
It is important to toss the pasta with the eggs to create the creaminess from the egg yolk, without scrambling it. You need a really big bowl for this process, which is known as mantecare.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 chorizo sausages, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled 500g bucatini, spaghetti, pappardelle or fettuccine
4 eggs 200 g (2 cups) grated Grana Padano or manchego (even better if you can find truffle manchego), plus extra to serve
SERVES 4
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the chorizo and cook until crisp and the red oil is released, taking care not to let it burn.
Add one garlic clove, then remove the pan from the heat and let the residual heat gently cook the garlic.
Cook the pasta, along with the remaining garlic clove, for 1 minute less than recommended on the packet.
It will finish cooking as you toss it with the sauce.
Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, mix through the cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Add the chorizo and released oil and mix together well.
Using tongs, transfer the pasta straight from the pan into the bowl, allowing some of the pasta water to emulsify with the egg mixture.
Toss very vigorously for 1 minute to coat all the pasta and ensure the egg stays smooth and creamy, and doesn’t scramble.
Sprinkle with extra cheese and serve immediately with a side salad.
TIPS
• You can be experimental with the cheese. I use manchego, a Spanish sheep’s milk cheese, for its nuttiness.
• It is very important to use a good-quality chorizo. If you use low-quality chorizo, you will need to add smoked paprika to bring out the redness.
• Use salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
