Ingredients
- 225g dried or fresh pasta (good options are spaghetti, fettucine or linguine)
- 250ml (1 cup) DJays beef jerky or DJays beef biltong, chopped into small pieces (about 1cm x 1cm)
- 2 large eggs
- 125ml (half a cup) grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley, to garnish
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add pasta and cook according to the package instructions, then drain, reserving around ½ cup (125ml) of the cooking water.
- Whisk the eggs and grated Parmesan together in a bowl.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Then add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the chopped beef jerky or beef biltong to the skillet and cook for about 2-3 minutes until slightly crisp. Stir the mixture occasionally to prevent it from burning.
- Once the beef jerky or biltong has crisped up, reduce the heat to low. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, toss everything together and remove from the heat.
- Then quickly add the egg and cheese mixture to the pasta mixture, tossing it continuously so that the pasta is coated evenly. The eggs will cook as a result of the residual heat from the pan and the pasta/jerky mixture and you’ll end up with a delicious creamy sauce.
- If you think the mixture is too thick, you can always gradually add some of the reserved pasta water to achieve the desired consistency.
- Season with freshly ground pepper and salt to taste.
- Put the pasta into a heated serving dish and garnish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and some freshly chopped parsley. (It also tastes just as good straight from the pan!)
- Serve immediately (with extra Parmesan on the side)
This jerky carbonara is delicious on its own or served with a green salad and crusty bread for a heartier meal. Enjoy!