Growing up this was our favourite pasta dish. I recall my parents making this together and throwing the strings of spaghetti onto the wall behind the stove to check it was cooked Al Dente! We didn’t truly understand what that meant, we were just excited to see food being thrown. And by our parents no less!

It is quite possible they introduced us to this dish by its proper name (spaghetti alla carbonara) but once they explained what was in it, it quickly became bacon and egg spaghetti.

Once I had children of my own, I introduced this dish as a family meal. Amazingly it seems to be one of the few I can get them to eat without much difficulty.

Serves 4, generously

• 1 pkt / 250g Streaky Bacon
• 1 pkt / 450-500g Spaghetti or Linguine (the latter being my preferred)
• 3 Eggs
• 3 Tbsp Cream (or Soya Cream alternative)
• 50g (1/2 cup) of grated Parmesan

Start by boiling a large pot of water. Once it has come to the boil add a generous amount of salt and then the packet of pasta. (Adding the salt before will increase the time it takes to come to a boil.) Cook to the packet instructions, about 10-12 minutes. Before you drain the pasta, reserve a small amount of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, cut the rashers of bacon, into small pieces directly into the frying pan. This can be made much easier by using kitchen scissors, cutting a couple of rashers at a time. Gently fry the bacon pieces until they are golden on both sides. Then set the pan aside, on a slight incline to separate the excess oil. This can be spooned out.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl or large measuring cup, give a whisk with a fork to break the yolks and mix them in with the cream and parmesan. Set this aside.

Once the pasta has been cooked, drain the water and return the pasta back into the pot. You will want to move quickly whilst the pasta is piping hot,  add the egg and parmesan mixture and stir this through well. The heat of the pasta will gently cook the egg in the sauce. Stir through the bacon and then serve.