Always reserve your pasta water, It’s the key to making silky and smooth sauces! I was inspired by NYT Cooking’s technique for combining miso, butter, and pasta water to make a super easy creamy sauce. Here, I take it up a notch with pickled calabrian chilies, buttery furikake breadcrumbs, and scallions. Enjoy it in a deep bowl on the couch, or even better directly from the pot in a bathrobe at 10:00 pm with a glass of wine.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 8 oil packed whole calabrian chilies (Tutto Calabria is a good brand). 1 fresno or 2-3 thai chilies can be used as well
- 2 tbs rice vinegar
- 9 tbs butter, separated
- ½ cup italian breadcrumbs
- 2 tbs furikake
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup, plus 1 tbs freshly greeted parmesan
- 1 llb fettuccine, tagliatelle, spaghetti, or one batch fresh hand rolled pasta.
- 3 tbs miso paste
- 3/4-1.25 cups reserved pasta water
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup scallions, thinly sliced
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to thinly slice the calabrian chilies. It may get messy, that’s OK. Put the chilies a small bowl and cover with rice vinegar. If you are using fresno or thai chilies, add a large pinch of salt and a large pinch of sugar in addition.
2. In a small skillet, melt 3 tbs of butter. Add the breadcrumbs and saute over medium low, stirring regularly until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add the furikake, a decent pinch of salt, lemon zest, and 1 tbs of parm. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. This is the one time you don’t want your pasta water to be as salty as the sea. You will use a decent amount of this pasta water, and the miso is also salty. Use about 1 tbs of salt for a large pot of water.
4. Meanwhile, place 6 tbs of butter and your miso in a medium sized container.
5. Cook your pasta until al dente. While the pasta cooks, place a large mug or glass 16 oz measuring cup beneath your strainer in the sink. You will use this to catch pasta water as you drain it.
6. Drain your pasta, ensuring that you reserve at least 1.25 cups of pasta water. Return pasta to the pot.
7. Add 3/4 cup pasta water to the miso and butter and stir until melted. Add the miso butter combination to your pasta as well as 1 cup parmesan and stir vigorously to combine. Add an additional 1/2 cup of pasta water to make it extra saucy :). Simmer over low if needed to help it all come together.
8. Add a decent amount of freshly ground black pepper, the lemon juice, and remove from heat.
9. Separate into 4 bowls and top with the furikake breadcrumbs, scallions, and more parmesan if needed.