Miso-Infused Parmesan Pasta

1. Cook the Pasta

Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of kosher salt, which will season the pasta as it cooks. When the water is boiling, add your pasta of choice—spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini. Cook it until it's al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent the strands from sticking together.

2. Reserve Pasta Water and Drain

While the pasta is cooking, take a measuring cup and reserve 1.5 cups of the starchy pasta water. Once you've reserved the pasta water, drain the pasta using a colander and set it aside.

3. Prepare the Miso Butter Sauce

In the same pot you used for the pasta, melt 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of miso and 1.25 cups of the reserved pasta water. Whisk the mixture for about 1-2 minutes until the miso breaks down and the liquid becomes smooth and uniform.

4. Combine Pasta and Sauce

Once the sauce is ready, return the cooked pasta to the pot and add the finely grated Parmesan. Using tongs, stir vigorously until the cheese melts and the sauce emulsifies, creating a silky smooth texture that evenly coats the pasta.

5. Serve and Garnish

Finally, divide the pasta into shallow bowls and, if you like, garnish with kizami nori, furikake, or thinly sliced seaweed snacks for an added layer of flavor and texture.