Creamy Pancetta Linguine With Chives

Boil a kettle

Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic

Grate the Italian hard cheese

Chop the chives finely

Add the linguine to a pot of boiled water with a large pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat

Cook the linguine for 8-10 min or until cooked with a slight bite

Once done, drain the linguine, reserving 300ml [600ml] of the starchy pasta water

Meanwhile, heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat 

Once hot, add the pancetta lardons and cook for 3 min or until they're starting to crisp

Meanwhile, wash, dry and rip the red gem lettuce into rough, bite-size pieces

Combine the white wine vinegar with 2 tbsp [4 tbsp] olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper - this is your dressing 

Once the pancetta is crispy, reduce the heat to low and add the chopped garlic 

Cook for a further 1 min, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat 

Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl

Add the grated cheese, clotted cream, half of the chopped chives (save the rest for garnish) and season generously with both salt and pepper

Whisk with a fork as if you were making scrambled eggs- this is your egg mixture

Add the drained linguine to the pancetta pan with a few splashes of the starchy cooking water and return the pan to a medium-high heat

Cook for a further 2 min or until most of the water has evaporated, stirring often

Reduce the heat to very low, add the egg mixture and stir continuously for 30 sec-1 min or until the mixture has thickened ever so slightly, adding more cooking water if you need to loosen it a bit - this is your carbonara

Tip: make sure your heat is very low, otherwise you will make scrambled eggs rather than a smooth sauce!

Dress the red gem with your dressing