Farfalle Carbonara with Pancetta and Sage

I've lost track of time lately. One week surely and slowly bleeds into another. My life has begun to mimic a carousel, with each day turning from light to dark in a blur and repeating. Again and again. Weekdays linger longer and weekends go out like a match. Quick and extinguished. Gone. The transformation has been subtle yet, after a deep breath, when I look up everything seems different.  

If it were not for the temperature shifts and flickering colour changes, I'd have forgotten we were in the midst of fall's glorious introduction. She's tempting us with what's to come. And, finally, I have time to soak it all up. Breathe. Enjoy it.

Between work pulling in every direction and weekends filled with weddings or families or shoots of one kind or another, there has yet to be a real chance to inhale. And exhale. Until this week. Finally. The frenetic pace has weakened and we can finally see the end in sight. It`s appropriate that we take time to relax. And enjoy.

The other day I walked through the door and called out to my wife. There was a noticeable chill in the air outside and the perfect temperature to walk our dog. I threw on some jeans and a sweatshirt and off we went. We commented on the slight changes in the leaves on the trees behind us. We noticed the softness of the landscape around us. And we exhaled. As one.

When we got back in I asked what she`d like for dinner. For the first time in a while she said pasta. Although we do enjoy it from time to time in the summer, it`s in the fall and winter when we really take comfort in a bowl while sinking in to a chair at the table. So that`s what we did. We chose comfort. And food.

I quickly cooked up some of this pasta. It`s one of my favourite dishes to make. Slightly salty and rich, and perfect for a long drawn out meal at the table. I set the table and opened the window to let in a breeze. We sat there and talked of the great summer we had and the projects coming up. But mostly, we just enjoyed the breeze and the company.

It`s times like these that matter most. Not the hurried agendas or pace of life that causes you to miss a magical moment if you blink. So every once in a while, no matter what, we take time to remember that. And each other. And a meal like this helps.

From my kitchen to yours, happy eating.






Farfalle Carbonara with Pancetta and Sage


Ingredients:

• 200 grams farfalle
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 6 slices of pancetta, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 eggs yolks, room temp.
• 2 whole eggs, room temp.
• 1 cup or 250ml heavy cream
• 100 grams or 1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 leek (white part only), finely sliced
• small handful of fresh sage leaves, sliced

Prep:

1. Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the farfalle according to package instructions.
2. Heat oil in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Add in the pancetta and smashed garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until the pancetta is crispy. Remove and drain on paper towel.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk eggs yolks, eggs, cream and 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Heat a splash of oil in a large sauté pan and cook the leeks for about 3 minutes. When cooked, lower heat to medium-low and add in the cooked pancetta, farfalle and the egg mixture. Toss over the low heat until fully combined. 
5. Add the fresh sage and the rest of the Parmesan cheese and toss again until well coated. Divide among two plates.