Do you remember the joke that the Italian chef Gino D’Acampo made on the British TV show This Morning? When the presenter tried the macaroni and cheese he had prepared as a demonstration, she said, “If it had ham in it, it would be closer to British carbonara.” Gino was taken aback and retorted, “If my grandmother had wheels, she would be a bike!” This just goes to show that carbonara sauce is sacred to Italians – it can’t be cooked using the same technique as macaroni and cheese. If it’s cooked with cream, mushrooms and ham, it’s no longer carbonara. The simple combination of eggs whisked with grated cheese creates a glossy, creamy sauce when mixed with freshly cooked pasta off the heat.