Beans Carbonara

Ingredients:

• 2 x 400g cans of white beans, rinsed
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese + extra for serving
• 4 thick slices bacon, diced (about 100g)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 0.5 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped, plus extra for serving

Preparation:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Add the beans, cover, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the beans steep in the hot water while frying the bacon (the beans should be very hot when added to the egg mixture). Whisk the egg yolks with the Parmesan cheese in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until softened and very fragrant, about 1 minute. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet and return the skillet to the stovetop. Separately, set aside 1 cup of the bean cooking water, discard the remaining cooking water, and then add the beans to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly to coat with fat, for about 1 minute.
3. Whisk 1/2 cup of the reserved bean water into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling and to warm them up. Pour into the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese has melted, the sauce has begun to thicken, and the beans are evenly coated, about 1 minute (if the beans look dry, add more water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until you reach the desired consistency). Stir in the parsley and season with pepper to taste. Transfer the beans to a serving bowl and sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley.