Quick pasta carbonara with peas and gammon recipe

A Leftover twist on a classic, this speedy pasta recipe is perfect for making your Christmas supplies last that little bit longer. Using ready-cooked gammon instead of bacon in this pasta carbonara means cutting down slightly on the cooking time, and also ensure there’s no waste after your big Christmas lunch or Sunday dinner. Pasta carbonara can be quite rich, so to ensure there’s something to cut through the salty cheese we like to serve ours with a crisp green salad, tossed in a sharp lemon and oil dressing. There’s no doubt about it, pasta carbonara is a sure winner for feeding a crowd – and a sure-fire family favourite. Ready in minutes, this is a great backup for an evening when you’ve left everything to the last moment. And because it’s made from such few ingredients, it can more often than not be thrown together from the odds and ends in your cupboards and fridge. If you don’t have Parmesan, Pecorino is a good substitute and you could always swap peas for sweet corn if you prefer.

Ingredients

• 450g leftover gammon, shredded
• 6 egg yolks
• 100g Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus some for serving
• 400g spaghetti
• 100g frozen peas

Method

1. Over a medium heat reheat the gammon in a heavy-bottomed frying pan for a few minutes, until starting to crisp.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks thoroughly with the Parmesan cheese and plenty of black pepper.
3. Cook the spaghetti, according to packet instructions, adding the peas to the boiling water 3mins before the end. Drain the peas and pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Return the pasta and peas to the pan and very quickly stir through the pancetta, egg and Parmesan mixture, adding the reserved cooking liquid a little at a time until you have your preferred consistency and a glossy finish.