Neapolitan pasta with eggs and cheese

Pasta cacio e uo a

➤ SERVES 4 ➤ PREPARATION 5 minutes ➤ COOKING 5 minutes

360g mezze maniche (or other tubular shaped dried pasta) 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed• 2 large free-range eggs (plus 1 egg yolk) 100g freshly grated pecorino cheese salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. In the meantime, add the olive oil to a heavy-based fry pan and gently heat the garlic until it just starts to turn colour. Switch off the heat. In a large heatproof mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and the cheese with a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Set aside. Remove the garlic from the frying pan but keep the oil. Once the pasta is al dente, use a slotted spoon to transfer it to the pan. Don’t drain the water. Leave the pot on a gentle simmer to keep the water hot. Add a few tablespoons of the water from the pot to the pasta and give it a stir.

Place the bowl with the egg mixture over the boiling water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not come in contact with the simmering water. Add the pasta and mix well, stirring continuously for about one minute. You want to create a creamy silky sauce, not scrambled eggs.

Remove the bowl from the heat and divide the pasta evenly. Finish with a final sprinkling of grated cheese and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.