This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Nottingham chapter.

The end of the holidays is finally upon us and with them, comes the ever-looming presence of exams. The next month will be a stressful time, with revision, coursework admission, and the occasional break-down or two. The last thing anyone wants to be doing, is trying to think of what to cook for dinner. The following recipe is quick and easy, not to mention delicious! It’s a departure from the traditional Italian recipe, but is worth trying nevertheless!

If only!

Ingredients

Pack of unsmoked streaky bacon: £1.04 for 275g Tesco’s

Double cream: £0.95 for 300ml Tesco’s

1 egg (optional): £0.89 for 6 Tesco’s

Parmesan: £2.70 for 200g Tesco’s

Medium Cheddar: £2.50 for 450g Tesco’s

Baby Button Mushrooms: £0.90 for 200g Tesco’s

Spaghetti: £0.20 for 500g Tesco’s

Rapeseed oil: £1.65 for 1L Tesco’s

Salt and pepper to suit your personal taste (optional)

Useful Tips

If using the combination setting on the microwave, keep an eye on the bacon-it cooks extremely quickly!
The mushrooms give off a lot of juice that won’t necessarily cook down. Spoon a little of the juice out if you think there’s too much.
The more cheese there is, the thicker the sauce with be! Cheddar is a cheap cheese to mix with parmesan to give the thickness and doesn’t change the taste!
It’s up to you how much cream you use, but remember, the more you pour in, the thinner the sauce will be.
The longer you cook the sauce, the thicker it will become, but be careful not to burn it to the bottom of the pan.
If you don’t like mushrooms, you can use peas instead! Just add them in at the end of the cooking time, but before the spaghetti goes in!

What would the world be without puns?

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°, and preheat the baking tray, before placing the bacon in the oven for 20 minutes. If using a microwave, use the combination setting preheating to 200°, and using medium on micro power.
Slice the mushrooms and preheat a saucepan on a medium heat with the rapeseed oil. Then place mushrooms in pan.
Grate the parmesan and cheddar. Use as much as you want!
Boil the kettle, and pour into another saucepan, over the spaghetti, and place on a medium heat.
Once the bacon is cooked, remove from the oven, and cut into pieces before placing it in with the cooked mushrooms.
Whisk the egg and double cream together before pouring into the mushroom and bacon mix. Use as little or as much cream as you like!
Stir in the cheese and cook on a medium-low heat until the mixture has thickened.
Strain the spaghetti and add the sauce, mixing thoroughly.
Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle cheese on to serve. Enjoy!

I would live off pasta if it was advisable. It’s quick and easy, and there are so many sauces which you can make (or buy) that go with it. Spaghetti Carbonara is one of my favourites-although I can’t say it’s very healthy! So next time you’re stuck for ideas, and want something fast and filling, my version of spaghetti carbonara is the way to go!

Never have spaghetti on a date. It’s very unlikely that it will look like this. Trust me!

Edited by Susan Akyeampong

Sources:

http://teenage.com.sg/campus/9-effective-examination-study-tips/

https://memesuper.com/download/727e988c0c8068b6432fefeb2da9921a411e6e33.html

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/spaghetti-carbonara-65344.aspx

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