Risotto Carbonara

Photo: flickr user whitneyinchicago

Ingredients

225 mls carnaroli rice

125 grams cubetti pancetta or chopped bacon

25 grams butter

1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped 725ml chicken or

75 grams finely grated pecorino romano plus some extra for sprinkling

1 lrg egg

2 lrgs egg yolks

1 heaped tablespoon creme fraiche

1 salt and freshly milled black pepper

Preparation

Round ovenproof dish with a diameter 23cm and 50mm deep placed in the oven when its preheated.

Preheat the oven to gas mark 2 300F/150C.

In a large hot frying pan over a medium heat fry the pancetta or bacon in its own fat for 4 to 5 minutes until its crisp and golden then remove it to a plate.

Add the butter to the pan then the onion turn the heat down to gentle and let the onion soften in the butter for about 5 minutes.

Heat the stock in a small saucepan.

Return the pancetta or bacon to the frying pan and after that stir in the rice and move it around until all the grains get a good coating of the buttery juices.

Add the hot stock to the rice along with some salt and freshly milled black pepper.

Let it all come up to a gentle simmer then transfer the whole lot to the warmed dish stir it once and then bake without covering on the centre shelf of the oven and set a timer for 20 minutes.

When the time is up gently stir in the pecorino folding and turning the rice grains over then set the timer for a further 15 minutes.

Whisk the egg egg yolks and creme fraiche together then remove the risotto from the oven and gently stir in this mixture making sure it is well mixed.

Leave the risotto for about 2 minutes by which time the eggs and crime fraiche will have thickened but no longer as it will get too thick.

Serve on warm plates with some more Pecorino Romano sprinkled over.

Note:This recipe contains raw eggs.

I just love pasta with carbonara sauce so much that one day I thought Id try it with a risottosame ingredients: pancetta a strong flavoured italian bacon eggs and sharp Pecorino cheese.

Serves 2