Mint And Pea Carbonara From Life Kitchen

~ Tandy

Life Kitchen have been teaching this recipe for Mint And Pea Carbonara since their very first class. According to Ryan, pancetta, parmesan and peas bring that sought-after umami hit, while mint leaves and chilli wake up the senses. Mint has a cooling affect and is a trigeminal stimulant. By adding it to a dish it offers piquancy which is especially good for those with a diminished sense of smell. Since first tasting this combination, I have started adding mint to more of our savoury dishes.

Mint And Pea Carbonara
Carbonara With Mint And Peas
Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Mint And Pea Carbonara ♥

I have flown countless airlines over the years and for the most part, they are all the same. And that is mainly because I travel economy class. And a seat is just a seat. A plane is a way of getting somewhere and in my opinion, the quicker the better. So when we book to go to Europe we always look at the airline that has the shortest total flight duration. For our December trip to Croatia this turned out to be Turkish Airlines. As we have always wanted to visit Istanbul we decided to combine the two trips into one. Our plan was to spend two full days in Istanbul and fly early morning to Croatia to meet my parents. Five weeks ago, our flight from Istanbul to Zagreb was cancelled. The airline didn’t automatically book us on an alternative flight. Nor could I make the changes online.

Today’s inspirational recipe from Lavender and Lime ♥ Mint And Pea Carbonara ♥ #LavenderAndLime Share on X

I had to phone their call centre to book a new flight. As Dave and I are flying together, on the same booking reference I gave the lady that information. As English is not her first language, it took some time to get the message across that we wanted to book for the Friday night. After a lengthy conversation and fact checking she asked if she must make the changes for both passengers, or just for myself. I don’t think she understood the humour when I told her I wanted Dave to come with me to Croatia. It took half an hour to go through the entire process. And the call ended with her telling me she would call back once the changes were made. I certainly hope she can do so otherwise I am not sure how we will get to Croatia in order for us to fly home.

Mint And Pea Carbonara

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5 from 1 vote

Mint And Pea Carbonara

You can substitute crab for the bacon if you don't eat meat
Recipe Category: Italian
All Rights Reserved: Adapted from Life Kitchen page 156

Ingredients

  • 15 mls olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
  • 100 g diced smoked bacon
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
  • 10 mls salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 60 g parmesan, grated, divided
  • 180 g dried tagliatelle
  • 60 g frozen peas
  • 125 mls pasta water
  • 5 g fresh mint, leaves picked and chopped

Method

  • Pour the olive oil into a large sauté pan and heat over a medium temperature
  • Add the onion and sauté until soft
  • Add the garlic and chilli and continue to cook for 1 minute
  • Add the bacon, season and reduce the temperature
  • Cover with a lid, or foil, and leave to sauté for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and add 50g parmesan
  • Add seasoning and whisk until the eggs are completely slackened
  • Bring a large pot of water to the boil then add the salt
  • Cook the tagliatelle for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions
  • Measure out the pasta water and add it to the eggs, whisking to combine
  • Add the peas and when the cooking time is up, drain the pasta and the peas
  • Tip these into the frying pan and mix into the onions
  • Then add the eggs and stir to combine until the sauce is glossy and the pasta is nicely coated
  • Serve garnished with the leftover parmesan and mint
Inspiration published on Lavender and Lime November 18:

Have you flown Turkish Airlines? And have you had to cancel or change a flight with them? How would you rate your experience?

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Published by Tandy

I am passionate about using regional, seasonable and sustainable produce when I cook. I live in Gordons Bay with my husband and dogs. We visit new places locally and overseas as often as we can to experience the food of the area. Follow along on our adventures!

10 thoughts on “Mint And Pea Carbonara From Life Kitchen”

  1. I’m going to have to look up trigeminal after I comment. Even autocorrect tries to change it! But a wonderful pasta dish. When there’s mint in a dish, I always love it, but I’m always hesitant to use it in a recipe. I have no idea why.

    Reply

  3. I love those pasta dishes with peas and ham (or some similar cured meat). I first had it at an absolutely unbelievable conference dinner that was held in the Capitoline Museum and on its grounds.That was ages ago, when Italian food in America had red sauce only.

    be well… mae at maefood.blogspot.com

    Reply

  4. Tandy, I hope you get your connections put together, but more importantly I hope all is safe for you guys. Can you take a train between Istanbul and Croatia?
    A great pasta dish. I’ve not tried it with mint, I must now.
    Yes, I flew Turkish Airlines once…..

    Reply

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