Jamie Oliver's Christmas Cookbook
By Jamie Oliver
1 hr
Not Too Tricky
serves 6
About the recipe
This is a delightfully simple, luxurious, yet slightly trashy meal that is sure to wow everyone. It gives you classic carbonara flavours, but with a crisp exterior to contrast with that creamy interior. Total comfort heaven.
Recipe From
Ingredients
300g dried spaghetti
olive oil
100g hard cheese, such as Parmesan, Cheddar, Gruyère
3 large free-range eggs
250ml double cream
250g cooked smoked higher-welfare ham
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Top Tip
This is a great base recipe that’s able to embrace all sorts of seasonal loveliness at different times of the year – from spring peas and asparagus, to autumn mushrooms or chunks of roasted winter squash.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
- Cook the spaghetti in a pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions, then drain and leave to steam dry and cool in the colander.
- Meanwhile, rub the inside of a 20cm loose bottomed cake tin with oil, then finely grate a thin layer of cheese all over the base, shaking it up the sides.
- Once the spaghetti is cool, transfer it to a large bowl, gently pulling it apart, then beat and add the eggs, along with the cream and a generous pinch of black pepper. Chop and add the ham, finely grate in the rest of your cheese, and pick, chop and add the rosemary leaves.
- Toss together well, then pack into the cake tin and place on a baking tray. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden, crisp and cooked through.
- Leave the carbonara cake to sit for 3 minutes in the tin, then carefully and confidently run a knife around the rim and release it proudly on to a board. Great served with a fresh, zingy lemon-dressed salad on the side.
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