NUPSA now has a resident chef! Penny originally recommended someone – “He does the most orgasmic things with saffron and white truffles, darling!” – but they were a little outside our budget.

Papa G is an icon of Newcastle’s culinary golden age. Once called ‘the fox with the silver palate’, he is a master of weaving simple flavours and affordable ingredients into extraordinary treasures of home cooking. It is our absolute honour to share Papa G’s recipes with you this year; they’re quick and easy to make, and well suited to a student’s busy lifestyle.



Serves two people.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes




250g thin spaghetti

200g pancetta (or mushrooms, for vegetarian), thinly sliced

2 cloves crushed garlic

3 eggs

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Garnish with flat leaf parsley




In a 5-litre saucepan, add water and a tablespoon of salt and bring to the boil.

Then, in a fry pan on a high heat, add thinly sliced pancetta, crushed garlic and a small amount of olive oil. Stir continuously.

Add spaghetti to the boiling water and leave to boil for eight minutes, while stirring the pancetta and garlic.

In a mixing bowl, crack three eggs, add two cups of grated parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt and cracked pepper. Whisk (or fork) together.

Reduce heat on fry pan down to low and, once the pasta has cooked, transfer it (with tongs) straight from the saucepan to the fry pan. Turn all heating elements off.

Toss the pasta through the pancetta and garlic and stir through egg and parmesan mixture. Continue stirring until thoroughly combined and egg is cooked.

Serve immediately onto plates and add chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish.



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