Smoked Salmon Carbonara

Name: Smoked Salmon Carbonara
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 3 - 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 300 g spaghetti; 3 eggs, plus 1 egg yolk; 100 g Parmesan; 1/4 tsp. salt; 1/4 tsp. black pepper; Zest 1/2 lemon; 1 tbsp. parsley, finely chopped; 1 tbsp. basil, finely chopped; 1 tbsp. olive oil; 5 anchovies, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 150 g smoked salmon, sliced

By Chloe MorganUpdated: 08 October 2022

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Smoked salmon in a Carbonara? Fish and Parmesan? I can already hear Italians crying out with this obscene combination and questioning my every decision. But I urge you to hear me out and give this pleasure inducing dish a chance.

Instead of crispy pancetta, this recipe starts by melting down salty anchovies with garlic, giving the dish a divine umami undertone. This paired with fresh lemon zest and herbs, means the spaghetti is wrapped with a bright, fragrant sauce that cuts through the rich parmesan and eggs. Then the pièce de résistance, the smoked salmon. Tossed through at the very end, the salmon stays tender and simply kisses the spaghetti with its smokey oils. Honestly, if Harry Style was a pasta dish, he’d taste like this. Dreamy!

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Yields:

3 - 4 serving(s)

Prep Time:

5 mins

Cook Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

15 mins

Ingredients

300 g
spaghetti
3
eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
100 g
Parmesan
1/4 tsp.
salt
1/4 tsp.
black pepper
Zest 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp.
parsley, finely chopped
1 Tbsp.
basil, finely chopped
1 Tbsp.
olive oil
5
anchovies, finely chopped
2
garlic cloves, crushed
150 g
smoked salmon, sliced

Directions

1. Step 1In a large pan of boiling salted water over medium-high heat, add the spaghetti and cook two minutes less than pack instructions to ensure the spaghetti is cooked al dente.
2. Step 2Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add the eggs, egg yolk, Parmesan, black pepper, salt, lemon zest, parsley and basil. Stir until combined and set aside.
3. Step 3Place a large frying pan over medium heat, add olive oil, anchovies and garlic. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until your kitchen smells fragrant.
4. Step 4When the spaghetti is cooked, use tongs to add the spaghetti to the frying pan. Don’t worry if some water goes in the pan, we want this to happen! Toss the spaghetti in the garlic until nicely coated and turn off the heat.
5. Step 5Take your reserved egg mix and add 2 tbsp of the pasta water, stir to combine. (This helps to temper the egg mix and stops it from scrambling.)
6. Step 6Pour into the pan and toss through until glossy, if you feel you need more liquid, simply add a few tablespoons of pasta water. Remove from the heat and add the smoked salmon, stir until combined and serve immediately.

Don’t be afraid to add a little more pasta water than you think, this will create a creamy, glossy sauce that the classic carbonara is known for. If you think you’ve added too much water, just keep on stirring and add a little more grated parmesan.