Place the pancetta and olive oil in the casserole and cook on the hob over a low to medium heat until it begins to crisp. This will take about 10 minutes.

Add the chopped garlic and continue to cook for 2 minutes.

Transfer the pancetta and oil to a dish and keep warm.

In a bowl or large jug beat the eggs with the cream, ½ the Parmesan cheese and the black pepper.

Wipe out the caserole and fill 2/3 full of lightly salted water. Put on the lid and bring to the boil over a medium heat on the hob. See Cook's notes.

Remove the lid and add the spaghetti to the boiling water, cook until al dente, this will take about 8 minutes. See Cook's notes.

Turn off the heat, drain and return the pasta to the casserole.

Stir in the warm pancetta and its oil followed by the egg mixture. Combine together until the pasta is well coated. See Cook's notes.

Sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

Serve with a crunchy green salad and some ciabatta bread.

Any left over pasta and sauce can be enjoyed the next day fried in a little olive oil until crisp - a delicious Italian tradition. Cook's notes:

A generous ½ teaspoon of salt should be sufficient.

Al dente is when the pasta is cooked but still has a "bite". Cooking times for different makes of spaghetti may vary so use the cooking times recommended on the pack as a guide.

The hot pasta will cook the egg mixture. if your pasta has cooled, gently reheat the contents of the pan stirring all the time taking care not to scramble the eggs.