The secret to making this carbonara extra creamy, is adding Parmesan cheese into the sauce. Add some smoky chorizo and juicy tomatoes in the mix, and you've got a delicious dinner in no time!
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1 packet
mild chorizo
(May be present: Soy, Milk, Sulphites. )
½ unit
brown onion
2 clove
garlic
1 punnet
cherry tomatoes
1 packet
penne
(Contains Gluten, Wheat; May be present: Egg, Soy, Milk. )
2 packet
grated Parmesan cheese
(Contains Milk;)
½ packet
light thickened cream
(Contains Milk;)
1 cube
chicken stock
1 bag
baby spinach leaves
1 bag
mixed salad leaves
1 bunch
chives
olive oil
1 tsp
balsamic vinegar
1 unit
egg
(Contains Egg;)
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil. Finely chop the mild chorizo. Finely chop the brown onion (see ingredients list). Finely chop the garlic (or use a garlic press). Halve the cherry tomatoes. In a large bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper and olive oil (2 tsp for 2 people / 1 tbs for 4 people).
Add the penne to the saucepan of boiling water and cook until ‘al dente’, 10 minutes. Reserve some pasta water (1/3 cup for 2 people / 2/3 cup for 4 people), drain, then return to the saucepan. Drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. TIP: Stir the penne regularly to ensure it doesn't stick.
While the pasta is cooking, crack the eggs into a medium bowl and whisk with a fork. Add the grated Parmesan cheese, light thickened cream (see ingredients list) and a generous pinch of pepper. Crumble in the chicken stock (1 cube for 2 people / 2 cubes for 4 people). Mix well and set aside. TIP: Chorizo is also salty, so add less stock if you are sensitive to salt! TIP: Using more cream will dilute the flavour
Heat a large frying pan over a high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the chorizo and cook, breaking up the chorizo, until golden, 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high, add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and baby spinach leaves and cook, stirring until wilted and fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Add the penne to the pan with the chorizo and toss to coat. Reduce the heat to low, then pour in the carbonara sauce and some pasta water(2 tbs for 2 people / 1/3 cup for 4 people). Stir until the cheese melts, 2-3 minutes. TIP: If the sauce looks too thick, add more cooking water until the sauce is creamy and silky.
Finely chop the chives. Add the mixed leaves and cherry tomatoes to the bowl with the salad dressing and toss well to combine. Divide the chorizo carbonara between bowls. Sprinkle with the chives and serve with the salad.