Uni Mafaldine Pasta

As a sushi lover, I came around to uni (a.k.a. sea urchin) a little late in the game but now it is one of my all time favorite things. Uni is silky, creamy, and packed with umami. I usually enjoy it simply as gunkan “boat” nigiri but the taste and texture lends itself incredibly well to pasta dishes. Mafaldine is a shape of pasta that is similar to tagliatelle but has a wavy edge which makes it more delicate and better suited to uni. Also, as corny as it may sound, when I think of uni, I think of the ocean, which, in turn, makes me think of waves. I topped the pasta with watercress and scallion microgreens because I wanted a bit of a bite that would not overpower the uni. I also included ikura (salmon roe) and tobiko (flying fish roe) to have pleasant bursts of saltiness. Give yourself an amazing treat and try this delicious uni mafaldine pasta!

Pasta Dough

• 200 g AP Flour

• 100 g Semolina Flour

• 3 Eggs + 3 Egg Yolks

• 20 g Olive Oil

1. Bring all of the ingredients together and knead until soft and smooth. Wrap in plastic and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

2. Divide the dough into 4 parts so it is easier to work with. Keep the dough that is not being used wrapped in plastic so it doesn’t dry out or form a skin.

3. Roll out the portion of dough to #7 level of thinness and cut into your desired shape. Hang to dry if the pasta won’t be used right away.

Uni Mafaldine Pasta

• 100 g Uni (about 1 tray)

  • Reserve the best looking pieces to garnish the pasta.

• 60 g Unsalted Butter (softened)

• 1 Egg Yolk

• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil

• 3 cloves Garlic (finely minced)

• 1/2 tsp Anchovy Powder

• 1/4 Cup Rice Wine

• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

• 1/4 Cup Kombu Kelp

• Watercress Microgreens (optional)

• Scallion Microgreens (optional)

• Ikura (optional)

• Tobiko (optional)

1. Combine the uni, butter, and egg yolk into a saucy paste and set aside.

2. In the pot that you will be boiling the pasta, fill with about 4 Cups water and add in the kombu. Boil for 20 minutes and then take out the kombu. Use this kombu water to cook the pasta.

3. In a pan, heat up the olive oil on medium heat and add in the garlic to gently brown. Add in the rice wine, anchovy powder, and cayenne pepper.

4. In the pot with the kombu water, boil the pasta for 1 - 2 minutes or just until pliable. Then transfer the pasta to the pan to finish cooking.

5. In the pan, add about 1 Cup of the pasta water and toss/mix the pasta around to make a sort of sauce.

6. Add in the uni butter mixture and continue to toss/mix. Add in pasta water as necessary so the pasta doesn’t become too dry.

7. Plate up, garnish, and enjoy!