Cafe Lula

As I love to add courgette to EVERYTHING, I was excited when I saw a recipe for Courgette carbonara a couple of years ago in Jamie at Home by Jamie Oliver. I copied out the recipe and I’ve made it often ever since.  Except that I haven’t, really. I’ve changed it every time until it’s morphed into something which doesn’t really resemble Jamie Oliver’s recipe at all, other than the fact that it has courgette in it. So I’m claiming it as my own. Is that too cheeky?

Chicken and courgette carbonara

A Cafe Lula recipe (with help from Jamie at Home)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

olive oil, for frying

1 shallots, chopped

3 slices back bacon, sliced

2 small chicken breasts, cut into chunks

1 large courgette, sliced roughly the same size as the rigatoni

1 egg yolk

1 whole egg

70g half-fat creme fraiche

15g parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve

black pepper, to season

a pinch of dried thyme

200g rigatoni or penne

In a large pan or wok, heat a little olive oil over a medium-high heat and fry the shallots until transparent. Add the bacon and chicken. Put the pasta on to cook.

When the bacon and chicken are almost cooked, add the courgette and stir well. Add the thyme. Continue to fry while you make the sauce.

Put the egg yolk, egg, creme fraiche and parmesan in a bowl and stir well. Season with black pepper.

When the pasta has cooked, drain, then immediately add to the pan with the bacon, chicken and shallots. Toss well, then remove the pan from the heat and add the creme fraiche mix, stirring quickly. Serve immediately, with extra parmesan.