Creamy Udon Pasta with Umami Butter Recipe

This cozy udon dish falls someplace between creamy carbonara and silky buttered pasta. Anchovies and reserved anchovy oil infuse a easy butter sauce with umami — the coveted “fifth style.” White miso and nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano spherical out the savory notes with a touch of sweetness. The sauce comes collectively when the noodles’ starchy cooking water is used to mood egg yolks, making a lush, creamy sauce that coats the bouncy, chewy udon. Your complete dish comes collectively in simply 20 minutes, making it best for a busy weeknight dinner or late-night snack after an evening out. 

Why are frozen udon noodles higher for this recipe? 

Frozen udon noodles cook dinner sooner than recent udon and have a chewier, bouncier texture after cooking than recent noodles. Contemporary udon tends to be softer and could be extra liable to sticking collectively after cooking. Frozen udon additionally has an extended shelf life and might final two to a few months.

What does it imply to mood eggs?

Tempering eggs is a cooking approach, typically used when making pastry cream or custards, the place chilly or room-temperature complete eggs or egg yolks are regularly mixed with a sizzling liquid with out curdling or scrambling them. The purpose is to softly heat the egg proteins and stabilize them. On this recipe, the egg yolks are tempered with the recent reserved cooking liquid from the noodles to create a clean, creamy sauce.

Notes from the Meals & Wine Check Kitchen

The udon noodles are garnished with shichimi togarashi, a standard and common Japanese spice mix that interprets to “seven-spice combination.” Most shichimi togarashi blends embody yuzu, ginger, pink chiles, sansho pepper, and seaweed, together with different spices. You could find it on-line or at most Asian or Japanese grocery shops. 

Advised pairing

Pair this bowl of consolation with a savory, minerally Pinot Noir, like Bodega Chacra Barda.

“The ethereal construction, refreshing minerality, and savory umami in Bodega Chacra Barda supplies a pleasant distinction to chop by means of the udon’s wealthy butter sauce. Its shiny acidity enhances the miso base, its mild physique enhances the anchovies, and the gorgeous red-fruit character is enhanced by the chile end.” —Luis Martinez, Ogawa, Miami