Courgette Carbonara

Thanks to my friend Kate who gave me this recipe, after she cooked it for me a few years ago.

Serves 4

• 6 medium courgettes (cut lengthways, then into quarters, remove the middles (the seedy bit) and then into 3.5cm batons (same length as penne pasta).
• 500g penne pasta
• 4 eggs
• 100ml double cream
• 2 heaped tbsp grated parmesan
• 12 thick slices of streaky bacon (chopped into pieces) or lardons
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Small bunch thyme chopped

Get the pasta water boiling & cook the pasta.

Make up a sauce of egg yolks, cream, 1tbsp parmesan, seasonings & leave for now.

In a big frying pan: heat the oil, add the bacon/lardons, courgettes, a good pinch of black pepper and thyme and cook until the courgettes start to colour golden.

When draining the pasta keep some of the pasta water aside (1/2 pint max).

Working quickly:remove the frying pan from the heat, add the cooked pasta and the sauce plus a ladle of the pasta water (if it's looking too thick you might need to add another ladle (or half-ladle).  Stir well until the heat from the pan has cooked the sauce through thoroughly and the sauce is creamy and glossy.

Sprinkle with the rest of the parmesan and serve.