This is so quick and easy to throw together it makes the perfect mid week no fuss meal. I use pancetta instead of bacon as I prefer it and find it imparts more flavour to the dish. I also added extra mint and lots of parmesan cheese both in the dish and grated over the top, just our preference. If you would like to read more reviews of this recipe please click here.

Ingredients

455g Farfalle pasta (bowtie pasta)
1 Egg
180ml Double cream
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
12 Slices pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, roughly sliced
1 Cup fresh peas or frozen peas
2 Sprigs fresh mint, leaves picked, finely chopped
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Method

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the farfalle, and cook according to the packet instructions.

2. Whisk the egg in a bowl with the cream, salt and pepper.

3. Put the pancetta or bacon into a second pan and cook until crispy and golden.

4. When the farfalle is nearly cooked, add the peas for the last minute and a half. This way they will burst in your mouth and be lovely and sweet.

5. When cooked, drain in a colander, saving a little of the cooking water.

6. Add the pasta to the pancetta and stir in most of the mint, finely sliced – if the pan isn’t big enough, mix it all together in a large warmed bowl.

7. Now add the egg and cream mix to the pasta. What’s important here is that you add it while the pasta is still hot. This way, the residual heat of the pasta will cook the eggs, but not so that they resemble scrambled eggs.

8. The pasta will actually cook the egg enough to give you a silky smooth sauce.

9. Toss together and loosen with a little of the reserved cooking water if necessary.

10. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the Parmesan and the rest of the mint leaves, and serve as soon as possible.

All photos taken by me unless otherwise stated.