Spaghetti carbonara arancini

Method

• step 1

  To make the carbonara, put the pancetta and garlic into a cold frying pan and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the fat has rendered from the pancetta and is really crisp, and the garlic is golden. Remove from the heat and discard the garlic.

• step 2

  Beat together the egg yolks, black pepper, Grana Padano and double cream in a small bowl.

• step 3

  Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water following pack instructions, then drain, reserving a cup of the pasta water.

• step 4

  Tip the spaghetti into the pancetta pan and add a spoonful of the cooking water to the yolk mix. Stir well, then pour into the pancetta pan and put over a low heat. Toss everything, adding a little more pasta water and cooking for a minute until the sauce is thick. Cool completely then chill for 2 hours.

• step 5

  Using damp, clean hands take a piece of mozzarella and form the cold carbonara round it to roughly the size of a golf ball and put on a tray. Repeat with the remaining mozzarella and carbonara.

• step 6

  Toss the arancini first into the seasoned flour, then in the beaten egg and then the breadcrumbs, so they’re well coated.

• step 7

  Fill a pan no more than ¹/3 full with vegetable oil and heat to 180C or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Cook the arancini, in batches, for 2-3 minutes or until really crisp and golden, then drain on kitchen paper and season lightly with sea salt flakes.