Mentaiko Pasta

A pearly pink cream coating every strand of spaghetti, topped with deep black nori strips. The first bite is buttery, followed by the texture of roe popping under the teeth with a spicy kick.

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 10 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 580
• Protein: 20 g
• Carbs: 78 g
• Fat: 22 g

Ingredients

• 400 g Spaghetti ( dry )
• 60 g Salted butter ( softened )
• 80 ml Liquid cream ( at room temperature )
• 40 ml Whole milk ( fresh )
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 piece nori seaweed ( finely shredded )
• 8 piece shiso leaf optional ( chiffonade )
• 120 g Mentaiko (spicy pollock roe) ( remove the membrane )

Instructions

1. Boiling the pasta

   Drop the spaghetti into a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook until al dente, with a slight resistance to the bite. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.

2. Preparing the mentaiko base

   Remove the membrane from the mentaiko roe. In a large bowl, mix the roe with softened butter, cream, milk, and soy sauce until the mixture is homogeneous.

3. Emulsifying and plating

   Add the hot pasta to the bowl. Toss vigorously to create an emulsion; the sauce should coat the pasta with a glossy finish. Add some pasta water if needed. Top with nori and shiso.

Chef's tips

• Never cook the mentaiko sauce in a pan; the heat will toughen the roe and lose its pearly texture.
• The pasta cooking water is full of starch; it's what gives the sauce its glossy, coating consistency.

Storage

Eat immediately. The pasta loses its creaminess as it cools.