Classic Collection of Japanese Style Wafu Pasta Recipes
Italian Pasta first appeared in Japan sometime during the Meiji period when Japan opened its borders to international trades. These dishes were initially luxury dishes that were only available at hotels and very fancy restaurants. This changed in the post-World War II period when pasta become widely available and cheap. Later In the 1980s, Japan experienced a surge in popularity for Italian cuisines including pasta dishes. Classic Italian-style pasta dishes like carbonara and bolognese are available in Japan. However, many unique and very imaginative recipes have been created that incorporate Japanese flavors and offer special Japanese pasta and noodle dish style. The so called 'Wafu' (Japanese style) pasta has become a major element of ‘Yoshoku’, which is Western-influenced Japanese cuisine. You can expect unique ingredients and full depth of umami flavors in Wafu pasta.
Some of the unique Japanese flavors and ingredients include:
- Mentaiko pasta, which is based on spicy cod roe as a key ingredient.
- Napolitan, which is made with green peppers, mushrooms, bacon and sausage, in a tangy tomato-based sauce.
- Kinoko wafu pasta is a spaghetti style dish made with an array Japanese mushrooms in a soy-butter sauce.
- Other Japanese ingredients often included in Wafu pasta are soy sauce, fish sauce, miso, dashi broth, sweetened rice wine and flavorful mushroom varieties such as shimeiji and shiitake.
- Dish are often garnished with shredded nori, shiso leaves, scallions, and spicy pollack roe.
Japanese Wafu Pasta with Mixed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dashi powder
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 8 ounces (250 g) spaghetti
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, low sodium
- freshly ground clack pepper to taste
- 3-4 strips bacon cut into small pieces
- 1 cup Enoki, Shimeji, Eringi or portabella mushrooms cut in quarters then sliced
Method
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large, heavy, deep skillet over moderate heat. Saute the garlic until fragrant and then add the bacon pieces and stir-fry until lightly browned. Next, add the mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are tender and lightly browned (about 5-7 minutes). Next, bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked to just the al dente stage. Drain the spaghetti, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add the retained pasta water and the spaghetti into the mushroom and bacon mixture. Stir to combine and then add the dashi powder, soy sauce and black pepper and stir through the mixture. Cook until all the flavors combine and water evaporates (about 1-3 minutes). Add salt and pepper to taste. Finally, add the green onions and stir through the pasta and serve hot.
Wafu Spaghetti Recipe with Butter, Mushrooms, Nori, and Garlic
Method
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 to 3 scallions, finely sliced, for garnish
- 1 pound (500 g) dried spaghetti, preferably bronze-cut
- Shredded by cutting into thin matchsticks with scissors, and roasted for garnish
- 1 pound (500 g) shiitake mushrooms, or a combinations of Japanese mushrooms, torn by hand
Method
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a brisk boil. Add the pasta and cook until about 1 minute before the al dente target (1-2 minutes less than the package instructions). Drain the pasta reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Next, make the sauce by heating the olive oil and 4 tablespoons of butter in a deep, heavy pan over moderate heat. When the butter is melted and begins to foam, add the mushrooms and garlic. Saute, stirring very occasionally to make sure the garlic doesn't burn, Cook until the mushrooms start to brown on the edges (about 6 to 8 minutes). Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium low until the pasta is cooked. Then, push the mushrooms over to one side of the skillet. Add 4 tablespoons butter and soy sauce, allowing the butter to melt before combining. Add the pasta and 1/2 cup of pasta water to the skillet, tossing to coat all strands with the sauce. Cook, adding extra pasta water as required, until pasta is glossy (about 1-2 minutes). Remove the pan from heat. Top the fried shredded nori and sliced scallions. Serve immediately while hot.
Creamy Mushroom and Bacon Wafu Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 cremini mushrooms
- 4 shiitake mushrooms
- 2 oz (50 g) shimeji mushrooms
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the pasta
- 4 quarts (4 litres) water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher/sea salt
- 8 oz pasta (250 g); spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine or Japanese varieties
For the creamy sauce
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoons soy sauce
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoons kosher/sea salt
- 1/3 cup heavy (whipping) cream
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (plain flour)
For the garnish
- Fresh parsley
- Spring onions
Method
Add 1 1/4 tablespoons salt to 4 quarts (4 litres) of water in a large saucepan. Bring and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the pasta cooking water, and set the pasta aside. Cut the bacon slices into small square pieces. Slice the mushrooms thinly. Next, using a Dutch oven or a large deep and heavy frying pan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil over moderate heat. Sauté the bacon until becoming crisp. Add 2 cloves of crushed garlic and all the sliced mushrooms and saute together for several minutes. Add 1 tablespoons butter and freshly ground black pepper and combine well. Add the flour and cook briefly while stirring continuously. Stir in 1 cup milk a little at a time. Add 1/3 cup heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Continue mixing and scraping the bottom of the pan until the flour thicken the sauce. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if required adding more liquid if it is too thick. Next, add the cooked spaghetti to the frying pan and stir to coat with the sauce using a pair of tongs. Serve immediately garnished with parsley and finely sliced spring onions.
Japanese-style Pasta with Shrimp and Broccolini
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic
- 7 oz (200 g) spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoons kosher/sea salt
- 2 tablespoons dashi Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-1 1/2 tablespoons chili oil with crunchy garlic
- 10 shrimp (about 145 g; 5 oz; shelled and de-veined)
- 3.5 oz (100 g) broccolini (or asparagus or similar vegetables)
Method
Add 1 1/4 tablespoons salt to 4 quarts (4 litres) of water in a large saucepan. Bring and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the pasta cooking water, and set the pasta aside. Next, cut and discard the ends of broccolini and slice it in half (length-ways). Peel the garlic clove and slice thinly. Next, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large, deep frying pan over moderate heat. Once the pan is hot, add the shrimp, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook both sides of the shrimp until they are almost cooked through. Transfer them to a plate. Using the same pan over moderate heat, add the sliced garlic, broccolini and butter. Season the broccolini with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir and fry gently until the broccolini stems are tender. Transfer the shrimp back into the pan. Add 1 tablespoons chili oil. Stir and toss the ingredients to coat with the seasoning. Next, add the cooked spaghetti to the pan using a pair of tongs. Mix to combine the spaghetti, broccolini, shrimp, and adjust the seasoning and taste if required. Finally, add 2 tablespoons dashi soy sauce and mix it all together. Divide the pasta into 2 individual plates and serve hot.
Creamy Vegan Miso Japanese Pasta Recipe with Tofu and Asparagus
Ingredients
For Pasta
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (
4 oz (113 g) fresh asparagus
1 fried firm tofu (6.5 oz, 184 g)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Cooking the Spaghetti
7 oz (200 g) spaghetti
1 1/2 tablespoons/sea salt
For the Soy Milk Sauce
2 teaspoons miso
1 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 cup plain unsweetened soy milk
Method
Combine 1/2 cup soy milk, 2 teaspoons miso, and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce in a mixing cup, and mix all together. Dry the tofu by wrapping paper towels to remove any excess moisture and then slice into small cubes. Trim the asparagus spears and slice diagonally. Heat 4 quarts (16 cups) water and 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than the instructions on the packet. Drain the pasta and set aside, reserving the cooking water. Next, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over moderate heat. Add tofu cubes and stir fry very briefly until they are coated with oil and heated through. Add the asparagus, season with salt and fry briefly. Add the soy milk mixture to the large deep pan. Reduce the heat to moderate-low. Add 4 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to the frying pan and stir through. Increase the heat setting to moderate and add the noodles to the pan with a pair of tongs and stir to coat the pasta with the sauce. Taste the mixture and add extra salt if required. Serve the pasta in individual serving dishes, sprinkled with Shichimi Togarashi, chilli slices and fresh herbs.
Wafu Spaghetti with Chicken and Mushroom
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoons sake or vodka
- 400 g (14 oz) dried spaghetti
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup rice bran or grape seed oil
- 1/4 cup very finely sliced spring onions
- 1 tablespoons mirin, or 1 teaspoons sugar
- 300 g (10 oz) chicken thigh fillets, sliced into small cubes
- 200 g (5 oz) mixed fresh Asian mushrooms (enoki, shimeji etc), cut into bite-sized pieces
Method
Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water for about one minute less than the packet directions for al dente. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven over high heat. When hot and shimmering stir fry the chicken pieces and garlic until lightly browned. Add the mushrooms with a liberals sprinkling of salt and stir fry until just cooked through. Add the mirin, soy sauce and sake and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and combine well. Add the cooked pasta and spring onions and stir through until the pasta is well coated with the sauce. Serve hot with fresh herbs and chilli slices.
Japanese Style Salmon and Nori Cream Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons sake or vodka
- 400 g (14 oz) dried spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon grape seed oil oil
- 300 ml (1 1/3 cups) pouring cream
- 2 tablespoons salmon roe (optional)
- 400 g (14 oz) skinless salmon fillets
- 2 tablespoons very finely chopped onion
- 1 sheet nori, cut into thirds and then into very fine strips
Method
Cook the pasta in salted water until just before the al dente stage. Drain and set aside, retaining the pasta water Next, heat the oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Season the salmon well with 1 teaspoon of salt and fry for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned and just cooked through. Remove the salmon from the pan and set aside to rest on absorbent paper. Next, heat the same pan to melt the butter. Then, fry the onion over moderate heat until the onion softens. Add the sake and the remaining salt and bring the mixture to the boil. Pour in the cream and mix well. Tear the salmon into bite-sized pieces and mix into and through the cream sauce. Add the pasta and stir well, adding a little pasta water if necessary to keep the sauce relatively thin. Serve the dish hot topped with the salmon roe and the very thinly sliced nori.
Mixed Mushroom Wafu Pasta with Soy Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (250 g) dry spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces (125 g) shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces (250 g) mixed mushrooms, include wild varieties
For the soy-butter sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced shallots
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/4 cup dashi (Japanese stock) or fish/vegetable stock
For the garnish
- furikake
- fresh herbs
- grated Parmesan
Method
Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until just before the al dente stage (about 6 to 8 minutes), stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta and set aside, retaining the pasta water. Place a skillet over moderate heat, add the oil. Once skillet and oil are hot, add the mushrooms and sauté until brown (about 3 to 5 minutes). Season with a sprinkling of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside. Return the skillet back to the stove and add 1 tablespoon of butter. Then, saute the shallots and garlic for about 2-3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with mirin, stir and scape the base and cook the saute until the skillet is almost dry. Add the dashi and soy sauce to the skillet and simmer until mixture has been reduced by about a half. Stir the remaining butter through the mixture. Then, add the mushroom mixture and pasta to the skillet and toss together with tongs until the pasta strands are well coated. Adjust the seasoning if required and top with a sprinkle of furikake and grated Parmesan. Serve hot topped with fresh herbs.