This recipe will probably anger a lot of Italians, but I love Spaghetti Carbonara, however, it’s not the healthiest of recipes and I’ve trying to be a bit more sensible with my eating. So I decided to experiment and little to see if I could come up with a healthier variant inspired by the classic Carbonara, and this turned out pretty well. Instead of Pancetta, I used a Gammon steak which is far leaner and I replaced the parmesan cheese with a combination of fat free Quark cheese and Oat Cream to give it that creaminess you’d expect from a Carbonara. I also used penne pasta to show that you don’t have to restrict yourself to Spaghetti if you’re working with what was in your cupboard like I was. It turned out really well, and it’s super quick to make, so if you’re looking for a healthier midweek alternative to Carbonara, then give this a try.
Low Fat Pasta Carbonara
Print RecipeIngredients
- 200g Dried Pasta
- 250g Gammon Steak
- 200g Fat-Free Quark Cheese
- 125ml Oat Cream
- 3 x Large Egg Yolks
- 1tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 x Garlic Clove
- 1tsbp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling water until al dente. This usually takes around 8 - 10 minutes.
Crack the eggs into a bowl, season well with salt and pepper and beat well with a fork and put to one side.
Add the olive oil into a frying pan over a medium heat and allow to heat up for a couple of minutes.
Crush the garlic clove and add into the oil and gently cook for a minute or so, stirring so it doesn't burn.
Chop the gammon steak into even sized cubes, and add to the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove the pasta from the heat, drain well but reserve some of the water, and add to the pan.
Add the Quark and the Oat Cream, adding a little of the pasta water to bring it all together, then add the thyme and mix everything well into the pasta. Allow to cook while stirring for a couple of minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour over the egg mixture so that it gently cooks off the heat, rather than scrambles, while stirring gently and adding a little of the pasta water again to help it become nice and glossy.
Serve with an extra twist of pepper, and enjoy.
