50g(1/2 cup) Pecorino Romano cheeseor swap for Parmesan or Grana Padano – finely grated
50g(1/2 cup) Parmesan cheesefinely grated
2tbspunsalted butter
100g(3.5 oz) pancettachopped into small pieces
2clovesgarlicminced
Instructions
Place the chicken breast flat on a board and slice in half through the middle, so you have 2 equal-sized thin fillets. Dust with the salt and half the pepper.
1 large chicken breast, ¼ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat.
1 tbsp olive oil
Place the chicken in the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through.
Remove from the pan and place on a chopping board to rest, then slice into strips.
Meanwhile, place the spaghetti in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water. Bring back to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
400 g (14 oz) dried spaghetti
Whilst the pasta is cooking mix together the eggs in a bowl with the Pecorino cheese and half the Parmesan cheese. Put to one side.
3 large eggs, 50 g (1/2 cup) Pecorino Romano cheese, 50 g (1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese
Place the butter in the pan that you cooked the chicken in. Heat over a medium heat until the butter melts.
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Add the pancetta and fry for 3-4 minutes, until starting to crisp up, then add the garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds.
100 g (3.5 oz) pancetta, 2 cloves garlic
By now, the pasta should be ready (if it’s not, turn off the heat of the pan with the pancetta in, and reheat it for a few seconds when ready). Using tongs, remove the pasta from the water (reserving the water in the pan) and transfer it to the pan with the pancetta. Don’t worry about excess water from the pasta dripping into the pan – that water will help give you a lovely saucy finish.
Add the chicken to the pasta and toss the spaghetti in the pan over the heat for a minute, then turn off the heat.
Add 4 tbsp of the reserved pasta water to the pan, then whilst constantly lifting and lowering the pasta with the tongs, pour the egg mixture into the pan with the pasta.
Continue lifting and lowering until the egg mixture coats the pasta. Add a little more pasta water if needed, until you have a lovely creamy sauce.
Divide the pasta between four bowls and sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan cheese and black pepper before serving.
Video
Notes
Can I make it ahead and/or freeze it?Unfortunately not. This dish needs to be cooked and eaten right away. Reheating the dish will cause the eggs to scramble.Ingredient swaps
Swap out the pancetta for guanciele or chopped streaky bacon
Not authentic, but a do quite like a strong cheddar in place of the parmesan every now and then
Add in steamed asparagus spears or petit pois for a bit of green!
How to scale up and scale down this recipeYou can double the recipe to serve 8, using the same ratios EXCEPT for the eggs. Use up to 4 eggs, but I wouldn't recommend using more than that. If serving for 2, stick to the same ratios (instead of one and a half large eggs, just use two small eggs).If serving for 1, stick to the same ratios, but use 1 small eggNutritional information is per serving.