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1
Put a large pan of salted water on to boil.
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2
Slice the zucchini at an angle into pieces roughly the same size and shape as the penne.
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3
Put the egg yolks into a bowl, add the cream and half the Parmesan, and mix together with a fork. Season lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
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4
Heat a very large frying pan (a 14-inch is a good start), add a good splash of olive oil and fry the pancetta or bacon until dark brown and crisp.
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5
Your water will now be boiling, so add the penne to the pan with the salted water and cook according to the package instructions.
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6
Add the zucchini slices and 2 big pinches of black pepper to the skillet with the bacon or pancetta, not just to season but to give it a bit of a kick. Sprinkle in the thyme leaves, give everything a stir, so the zucchini is coated with all the lovely bacon-flavored oil, and fry until they start to turn lightly golden and have softened slightly.
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7
When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving a little of the cooking water. Immediately, toss the pasta in the pan with the zucchini, bacon and lovely flavors, then remove from the heat and add a ladleful of the reserved cooking water and your creamy sauce. Stir together quickly. (No more cooking now, otherwise you'll scramble the eggs.).
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8
While you're tossing the pasta and sauce, sprinkle in the rest of the Parmesan and a little more of the cooking water if needed, to give you a silky and shiny sauce. Taste quickly for seasoning.
