Chef notes
Pasta Napolitan is one of the most famous wafu-Italian pastas in Japan. For years I have been dying to put my own twist on it. After a recent trip to Japan, I was convinced that this ketchup pasta is fantastic and I decided to re-create the dish. It has been such a hit with those who have tried it, that we just recently added it to the menu at pastaRAMEN. Eating should be fun and exciting, and this dish does just that. When we first tell guests its essentially a "Japanese Ketchup Pasta," I've seen people cringe. But once they taste it, their smile and excitement is unmatched!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup calabrese sausage, small dice
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/3 cup white onion, sliced
- 1/3 cup white cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1/3 cup green bell peppers, diced
- 5 cherry tomatoes
- 1½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon ponzu
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 serving fresh ramen noodles
- 10 fresh basil leaves, divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more to serve
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
1.In a medium sauté pan set over high heat, add the olive oil and calabrese. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
2.Add the garlic, white onion, mushroom, green bell peppers and cherry tomatoes. Sauté all the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes.
3.Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, ponzu and ketchup. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
4.Deglaze with white wine and reduce by half. Reduce heat to medium-low.
5.Cook the ramen for 2 minutes in lightly salted water.
6.Add the cooked noodles to the vegetable mix in the sauté pan.
7.Add 5 leaves of fresh basil, the butter and Parmigiano Reggiano.
8.Cook on low heat for 1 minute until the cheese is melted into the sauce. Adjust final seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9.Plate the ramen in a bowl, and top it off with the remaining basil and more freshly grated Parmigiano.
