Butter Bean Carbonara

• guanciale↗100g g

  sliced into strips (lardons) as needed

• eggs↗2

  beaten

• parmesan↗50-60g g

  finely grated, plus extra for serving

• butter beans↗700g jar of g

  drained (save a few tablespoons of the liquid)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Place the guanciale in a cold pan, then turn the heat to medium. Cook for 4‑5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the guanciale becomes crisp and golden. Remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain. Leave the fat in the pan and remove the pan from the heat.

2. 2

   Whisk the eggs, parmesan and a generous amount of black pepper in a medium heat‑proof bowl. Carefully pour half of the hot guanciale fat from the pan into the bowl, constantly whisking – it’s important to do this slowly and keep stirring so the eggs don’t scramble.

3. 3

   Return the pan to low heat, then add the beans to the remaining guanciale fat. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 3‑4 minutes, until steam appears, then remove from heat and gradually pour in the egg‑parmesan mixture, constantly stirring. Add a few tablespoons of the bean liquid to thin the sauce to a silky consistency. Return most of the guanciale to the pan, leaving a few pieces for garnish. Serve, sprinkled with extra parmesan, reserved guanciale and a pinch of black pepper.