Week 92:
RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM THE STAFF AT HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS, LISA WALKER
This easy dish is quick enough for a weeknight but it’s also has a complexity that makes it nice for a special weekend dinner too! It’s a bit of a riff on the traditional Italian dish Cacio e Pepe pasta but with an added layer of umami thanks to the miso paste. To achieve a silky-smooth pasta, vigorously toss the pasta, grated cheese, and pasta water together to achieve a properly emulsified sauce – I actually watched a YouTube video on how to master this skill, but don’t be nervous just embrace it! Tongs are a must!
This recipe can be enjoyed as is with the simple 5 ingredients or sometimes I will top with grill or roast shrimp, scallops, or chicken.
5 (or 6) Ingredient Creamy Miso Pasta
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 16 ounces spaghetti, linguine or bucatini
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons white (or red) miso (can be found in most supermarkets and here is a bonus, it never goes bad just keep it in the fridge!)
- 4 ounces Parmesan, finely grated (1 packed cup)
- Cooked shrimp, scallops, chicken, or vegetables optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Add the butter, miso and 1 1/4 cups pasta water to the pot and whisk over medium heat until miso breaks down and liquid is uniform, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the pasta and Parmesan and cook, stirring vigorously with tongs until cheese is melted and sauce emulsifies. (The key word here is “vigorously.” To achieve a silky smooth pasta instead of a gloppy one, put your cacio e pepe skills to work.) It is really important to use tongs to stir and toss the pasta together.
- Divide among shallow bowls and top with shrimp/scallops or other protein, if using.