Light pasta carbonara
350g dried pasta, such as penne or spirals
1 cup chopped ham
¹/³ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 garlic clove, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Cook pasta according to packet instructions for 10 minutes or until just tender to the bite. Drain the pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving ½ cup cooking liquid.
2. Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add the ham and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the pasta and stir well.
3. Place parmesan, sour cream, eggs and garlic in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the reserved pasta liquid to the egg mixture and gently whisk. Pour egg mixture over pasta and stir well.
4. Cook over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring continuously (but do not boil or the sauce may split). Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. Serve extra grated parmesan on the side, if desired.
Tip: Pasta should be cooked to 'al dente' , which means firm to the bite. To stop cooking at the correct stage, start tasting the pasta two to three minutes before the end of the cooking time. Before draining the pasta, reserve one to two cups of the cooking water – this contains starch from the pasta that can add body to sauces.
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