When it was plated the veggie-lovers fell upon it like two hungry wolves and the sense of longing from the non-veg eaters was tangible.
The purist in me cannot call this carbonara, but that’s how it came about: a promise to cook carbonara with crisped guanciale (cured pork cheek) for a friend, and us wanting to share the love with his vegetarian daughters.
I cooked the carbonara, while Brandon took up the challenge of making it with courgettes, turning it into a lesson on mastering the art of a silky, spaghetti-hugging sauce.
When it was plated the veggie-lovers fell upon it like two hungry wolves and the sense of longing from the non-veg eaters was tangible.
That summer-holiday memory remained long after plates were scraped clean. So guess what we cooked for our New Year’s Eve dinner a few days later? The veggie version, using some sunshine-yellow pattypans that had traveled home with us.
It is that good, especially when uncorking a bottle of Kumusha Chenin Blanc to go with it. And it got us thinking that when cooked just right, courgettes may even rival pork cheek, but you be the judge.
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