“When I talk about a dish as a ‘carbonara’, I mean the method of creating a creamy pasta sauce with eggs that are cooked just enough to emulsify and thicken but not so much as to become scrambled or solid,” explains food writer and chef Letitia Clark.
“I prefer carbonara sauces made without the traditional pancetta/guanciale, as I find the classic version of the dish quite heavy, so I instead like to use vegetables. Artichokes, peas, broad beans and braised greens all make delicious carbonaras, as do courgettes.
“This courgette carbonara is lifted by a hefty hit of lemon (both zest and juice), which cuts through the richness of the eggs beautifully. It is also essential to counteract the sweetness of the braised courgettes, which become almost jammy after slow sautéing in plentiful olive oil and garlic.
“Courgette and lemon is a combination you will often see in my recipes, and it is a happy and mutually complementary marriage; the sweetness of the vegetable is cut by the acidity of the fruit, and the innate lemony-ness of courgettes accentuated by both the zest and juice of the citrus.
“Choose small, young courgettes if you can find them, their flavour is superior and they have a lower water content. I also use pecorino sardo, which has both a lemony flavour and nutty sweetness that work perfectly here. If you can’t find it, use Parmesan or a mix of pecorino romano and Parmesan. I often make the sautéed courgettes the night before, and keep them in the refrigerator before putting this together the next day for a last-minute lunch. I like using smooth penne, but spaghetti or rigatoni also work well.”
Lemon and courgette carbonara
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 garlic clove, bashed
2 medium or 3 small courgettes, sliced in half lengthways, then into half-moons
Sea salt
180g pasta of your choice
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks
4 tbsp grated pecorino (or Parmesan)
Zest of 1 small lemon, plus juice of ½
Basil leaves, to serve
Method:
Heat the oil in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium-low heat, then fry the garlic clove until it just begins to sizzle and smell good. Add the courgette slices and sauté, stirring regularly, until they are golden all over, beginning to break down and almost jammy. Season well with salt and set aside (or leave to cool, then keep in the refrigerator for future use).
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions in a large pan of well-salted boiling water until al dente.
Meanwhile, mix the egg and egg yolks, cheese and lemon into the courgette mixture, and begin to heat very gently, stirring all the time. Scoop out the pasta with a slotted spoon straight into the courgette pan along with a splash or two of the cooking water. Stir and toss over a low heat until you have a creamy sauce that coats the pasta.
Taste for seasoning, add a few fresh basil leaves, extra Parmesan and a drizzle of your best oil, then serve.
Variation: Artichoke carbonara. Make as for courgette carbonara, but in place of the courgettes, use 4-5 prepared, sliced artichoke hearts, and finish with chopped mint rather than basil.
Recipe from ‘For the Love of Lemons’ by Letitia Clark (Quadrille, £28).
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