This delicious dish is  delightful twist to classic carbonara with the inclusion of asparagus and La Dame, perfect in Spring!

Ingredients:

- 300g spaghetti

- 350g asparagus

- 4 large eggs

- 50g La Dame, plus extra to serve

- 4 rashers of smoked pancetta or streaky bacon

- 1 tbsp olive oil

Method:

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water in a large pan according to the packet instructions.

Meanwhile, snap the woody ends off the asparagus, then slice the stalks roughly the same length as the pasta, halving any thick stalks lengthways. Separate the eggs, putting the yolks into a bowl (save the whites for making meringues another day), then finely grate in the cheese and mix together.

Finely slice the pancetta, then place in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a generous pinch of black pepper and cook for 4 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

Add the asparagus to the pancetta for 3 minutes, then drain the pasta, reserving a mugful of starchy cooking water. Tip the pasta into the pancetta pan, toss and stir everything together, then remove from the heat and wait 2 minutes for the pan to cool slightly (if the pan’s too hot, it’ll scramble; get it right and it’ll be smooth, silky and deliciously elegant).

Loosen the egg mixture with a splash of cooking water, then pour over the pasta, tossing and stirring vigorously – the egg will gently cook in the residual heat. Season to perfection. adjust the consistency with extra cooking water, if needed, and finish with a pinch of pepper and an extra grating of La Dame, if you like.

Bon Appétit!