Gochujang Butter Pasta

A spicy, silky sauce for your favorite pasta that keeps you going back for more.

Gochujang Butter Pasta

Serves 4-6

This gochujang butter pasta combines a cold pan cooking method with an unconventional mix of ingredients to make a pasta sauce that is both unique and delicious. The sauce is silky and smooth with the brightness of lemon zest and garlic to finish leaving the flavors unmuted and bold. I use penne as I was thinking of a “bright” version of Penne a la Vodka when I developed this recipe but, use whatever pasta you prefer.

I serve this with a raw zucchini salad to add freshness and tame the heat of the sauce. You can find my recipe for Zucchini Salad here.

“Recipe Tips:

1. This dish comes together in about 30 minutes making it great for a weeknight meal.

2. The cooking process of the sauce is unusual as it is started in a cold pan. Be sure to start in a cold pan as it allows the sauce to emulsify. Starting in a hot pan could cause the sauce to break.”

Ingredients

Sauce

502g (3 medium) ripe but firm tomatoes, core removed and a small shallow “X” cut into the bottom end

300g (1 medium) onion, sliced thinly with the grain

84g (6 T) butter

3 - 4 small dried chilis

3.5 T gochujang

2 T mirin

4 t dried parsley

1.5 t soy sauce

1.5 t fish sauce

1 t gochugaru

1 t kosher salt

0.75 t ground black pepper

0.25 t ground ginger

Finishing

500g (1 lb) penne

8 garlic cloves, minced

5 strips lemon zest, minced

30g (1 c) Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, grated

Recipe Know-how

1.      Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

2.      Add the tomatoes to the pot and cook for 15 - 30 seconds or until when tested the skin can be peeled away easily from the cut on the bottom.

If your tomatoes are softer, the cooking time will be shorter. Begin checking for the skins to peel away after 7 - 10 seconds.

Turn off flame under the water but do not pour out, keep covered and set to the side.

• Using a slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes to a plate and allow to cool for 1 minute.

The tomatoes should not be soft or mushy when removed from the water.

• Beginning at the “X” on the bottom, gently peel the skin away from the tomatoes discarding the skins.

• Chop tomatoes into 0.25 in dice and place in an unheated large pan.

Do not discard the seeds of the tomato, add to the pan along with the chopped flesh.

3.      Into the pan with the tomatoes add the remaining sauce ingredients.

Try to place the butter near the bottom of the pan so that as it melts, it prevents sticking.

• Place the pan over a medium flame and bring to a boil stirring occasionally.

• Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and stirring occasionally, cook 5 - 6 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken slightly.

The butter may separate during the simmering but that is okay.

• Once cooked, remove the sauce from the heat and bring the water from the tomatoes back to a boil with salt to cook the pasta.

• Cook the pasta 2 minutes shy of package directions.

• Reserve 1.5 c pasta water and drain pasta.

• Return sauce to a medium-high flame and bring to a boil with 0.50 c of the pasta water. Boil stirring consistently for 2 – 3 minutes or until cohesive and thickened slightly.

• Reduce heat to medium. Add drained pasta, garlic, lemon zest and cheese.

• Using a heatproof spatula, stir pasta with sauce continually for 2 - 3 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through and well coated, the cheese has melted, and the sauce has thickened.

If the pasta becomes dry while cooking, slowly add more of the reserved pasta water as needed to make a creamy sauce.

• Taste pasta for seasoning adding additional salt if needed. Cover and allow to stand for 1 minute.

4.      Serve with vegetable side dishes and abrasive salad.