Featured on Tastemade: Uni Pasta
Uni, which is pronounced "oo-nee" in Japanese, are edible sea urchins that are rich in umami. It's a unique flavor that is absolutely amazing; it's slightly salty and sweet. Fresh sea urchin, butter, pasta water, parmesan, and a little saki creates a decadent orange sauce that is tossed with hot pasta noodles.
Ingredients
1/4 lb spaghetti or any long pasta or any long pasta noodle
1 tbs salt (for boiling noodles)
Water (reserve 2 cups of pasta water when draining noodles)
1 tray, sea urchin (save 1 or 2 pieces for garnishing)
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tbs Maggi seasoning sauce
2 tbs light olive oil
1/3 unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 clove finely minced or pressed garlic
1 tbs shallot minced
1/4 cup sake or dry white wine
1/4 cup reserved pasta water
1/4 C parmigiano reggiano, finely grated
Salt to taste
Ground white or black pepper to taste
Squeeze of lemon juice or lime juice
Garnish
Small handfull of parmigiano reggiano, finely grated
Black sesame seeds
Scallions
PREPARATION
1. Boil a large pot of salted water and cook pasta according to the packaged instructions until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water. Rinse and strain pasta.
2. In a mixing bowl or mortar and pestle add uni (save 1 or 2 of the best looking pieces for final garnishing), sesame oil, red pepper flakes, Maggi, and fish sauce . Then whisk or mash until you have a nice and runny paste, set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a hot pan and add butter over medium heat, add garlic and shallots until fragrant and softened (about 2 min). Add sake and pasta water and whisk until slightly reduced.
4. Add warm noodles, and parmigiano reggiano and toss gently until well coated. Turn heat down to low heat.
5. Add uni with a little pasta water and season with salt, pepper to taste. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime and add pinch more of pasta water as needed until uni has broken down and you have an emulsified creamy sauce.
5. Plate onto bowls or plates. Then garnish with your reserved uni, sliced spring onions, black pepper, and toasted black sesame seeds.