Description
This garlicky miso pasta is sure to become your new favorite comfort food.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/4 cup white miso paste (“shiro” miso)
- 14 medium garlic cloves (about 1 head)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1-pound package dried spaghetti*
- 1 teaspoon fresh coarsely ground black pepper
- 4 medium scallions, chopped
Instructions
- Place the miso in a small bowl and add 1/2 cup water, making sure the miso is fully submerged. Let stand for 5 minutes to soften, then stir with a fork until fully dissolved.
- Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water for the pasta.
- Using a microplane, grate the garlic into a paste. (Alternatively, pass it through a garlic press or pound in a mortar and pestle*.)
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch high-sided skillet (or Dutch oven) over medium-low heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the garlic and break it up with a spatula. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes (don’t let it brown). Turn the heat off and stir in the miso mixture.
- Salt* the boiling water and cook the pasta until just shy of al dente (i.e. it should still have a bite in the center – it will finish cooking in the sauce). Scoop out about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Add the pasta to the skillet over high heat, along with the pepper and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Cook, tossing almost constantly with tongs, until the liquid in the pan thickens and becomes silky, and the pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. If it’s starting to feel dry, add a splash more pasta water.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Garnish with scallions and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use a good-quality spaghetti that has been extruded through bronze plates, like DeDecco, Rummo, or Barilla Al Bronzo.
- Do not simply chop the garlic with a knife; the flavor won’t be nearly the same.
- Use about a third less salt than usual, since the pasta will ultimately absorb the salty miso.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe
- Calories: 605
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 106 g
- Fiber: 5.3 g
- Protein: 20.7 g
