SAUSAGE, EGG & RADISH PASTA

Prep: 20 mins. Cooking: 25 mins. Serves 4.

4 eggs

Zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon ¾ cup (75g) grated parmesan

or pecorino

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

125g pancetta, chopped

500g Italian sausages without fennel,

skins removed, crumbled

⅓ cup (80ml) dry white wine

400g dried short pasta, such as

conchiglie or casarecce

Good handful flat-leaf parsley leaves,

rinsed and spun dry, coarsely chopped 1 bunch radish, cut into thin wedges

(optional)

1 Place eggs, lemon juice and zest, and parmesan in a bowl and beat with a fork until smooth. Season with plenty of black pepper; set aside.

2 Combine oil and pancetta in a sauté pan (large enough to later accommodate pasta as well) over moderate heat. Cook until pancetta colours, about 3 mins, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add sausage to same pan, then deglaze with wine, scraping base of pan until any sediment is incorporated. Sauté 5 mins or until sausage meat colours. Return pancetta to pan and keep warm.

3 Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water until nearly al dente. Drain and reserve a small jugful of cooking water.

Add pasta and a little reserved cooking water to sausage mixture and cook over high heat for 2 mins.

4 Remove pan from heat and immediately stir in egg mixture, parsley and radish (if using). (The heat of the pasta and sausage mixture will cook the eggs.) If mixture looks dry, add a little more reserved pasta water. Serve immediately in warmed deep plates.