By: Susan Joy
This easy weeknight budget dinner has a lovely fresh flavour. Lots of crispy bacon is tossed through gluten-free buckwheat pasta which is coated in my dairy-free creamy carbonara sauce. I’ve used coconut cream, egg yolks, nutritional yeast flakes and fresh thyme leaves in my sauce to create this delicious classic. (Buckwheat is a grass and is naturally gluten-free and grain-free).
Ingredients
- 300g organic 100% buckwheat spiral pasta
- 1 lge head broccoli, chopped into small pieces
- 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid
- 400ml canned coconut cream, a thick brand
- 4 egg yolk(s)
- 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
- 2 tsp fresh thyme, leaves (remove leaves by running fingers down the stem in the opposite direction)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste
- 1 – 2 Tbsp olive oil, for cooking
- 250 – 300g diced bacon, (nitrate free)
- 1 heaped tsp of minced garlic
Directions
Fill a large saucepan with water until two-thirds full. Bring to a rapid boil, add the buckwheat pasta and bring back to the boil again and cook uncovered for 5 minutes (this is a quick-cooking pasta). Add the chopped broccoli into the boiling pot of pasta and allow to cook for 2 minutes or until the broccoli is tender but still bright green and the pasta is cooked. Scoop out half a cup of the cooking liquid and set it aside. Drain the pasta and broccoli into a metal colander.
Meanwhile, whisk the coconut cream, egg yolks and nutritional yeast flakes together in a medium bowl then stir in the thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan with high sides over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon pieces for approximately 5 minutes, stirring until browned. Add the garlic then reduce the heat to low. Once the pan has cooled down a little pour in the cream/yolk mixture and the reserved cooking liquid. Stir together with the bacon and garlic, and allow the mixture to come to a simmer for 30 seconds.
Transfer the pasta and broccoli to the pan and toss to coat well with the sauce. Turn off the heat. Taste and check the seasoning is to your liking. Add more salt and pepper if desired.
Serve in individual bowls topped with a sprig of thyme. Optional, sprinkle with my Nut & Seed Parmesan Sprinkle recipe HERE.
Article supplied with thanks to The JOYful Table.
About the Author: Susan is an author of The JOYful Table cookbook containing gluten & grain free, and Paleo inspired recipes for good health and wellbeing.
Feature image: Supplied