Papardelle with Parsley, Yuzu & Shichimi Togarashi

Like most people, I'm a fan of a simple bowl of pasta. There's something that feels fancy, like a new pair of sassy heels, when you're twirling long, ribbon-like noodles around the tines of a fork. And yet, there is a sweatpants-like comfort about the chewy noodles traveling from your mouth to your belly, filling you up and making you feel cozy all over. My favorite kind of pasta has to be papardelle. It's long, flat, eggy noodleness is something I simply cannot resist. And I don't like to dress it up too much. A simple pat of butter with a sprinkling of salt and pepper or parmesan cheese is really all it needs. Still, sometimes I feel guilty eating a bowl full of white carbohydrates, so I add lots of fresh parsley to make myself feel better. Plus, it's just so pretty having all those little green flecks scattered throughout the bowl. This particular recipe is inspired by some Japanese flavors that aren't normally used in pasta dishes. I was feeling a little rebellious and decided to channel that feeling by adding yuzu zest and shichimi togarashi to this bowl of deliciousness. Papardelle with parsley, yuzu & shichimi togarashi is allowed, right? Right.

If you've never tried shichimi togarashi, I highly recommend that you get right on that. Now. I'll wait.

OK, if you can't go try it right this second, I'll give you a little info on what to expect. It's basically a condiment with a red pepper flake base and bits of sesame seeds and other flavors like ginger and orange. It pairs perfectly with aromatic yuzu zest, which, if you haven't tried that either, is slightly reminiscent of grapefruit but too wonderfully unique to compare to any more familiar citrus fruits. It adds a perfect twist to recipes that otherwise call for lemon zest and I find the two almost always interchangeable.

Meals like this are what keep me sane during the holidays when I feel like I can barely put one foot in front of the other without forgetting something in the process. There is so much to do and plan for that mealtimes tend to fall by the wayside. With simple, delicious options like this around, there's no reason to opt for fast food cheeseburgers or greasy Chinese takeout.

Although, there are times for that as well.

And of course, if you've followed Set the Table for any amount of time, you may not be surprised at my addition of a poached egg. Because YUM.

Papardelle with Parsley, Yuzu & Shichimi Togarashi

Makes 2 servings

• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 6 oz fresh Papardelle (or other egg pasta)
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• course salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon shichimi togarashi
• 1 teaspoon yuzu zest
• 1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Begin by making the eggs. Bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in a small pan. Add the vinegar. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. Use a spatula to create a gentle whirlpool in the water and pour the eggs, one at a time, into the center.

Reduce the heat so only a couple of small bubbles rise to the surface. Cover the pan and let the eggs cook for about 3-5 minutes, depending on how done you like your yolks. Remove fromt he pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a small dish. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.

Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water. Drain the pasta and return to the pot off the heat source. Add the butter and toss with the pasta until completely melted. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Add the shichimi, yuzu zest and flat leaf parsley and toss to combine. If at any point the pasta seems dry, add a bit of the reserved pasta water. Transfer the pasta to two bowls, top with the poached eggs and serve immediately.

Miso Deviled Eggs

How is it almost Easter already? I mean, seriously. Time needs to slow the train down. Despite the fact that this holiday often sneaks up on me, Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays when it comes to food. We are creatures of habit on my fathers side of the family and our spread always includes my grandma's deviled eggs, my aunt Joanne's sticky caramel rolls, my uncle Steve's Bloody Marys and, of course, lots of locally made sausage and a glazed ham.

Truth time: When I growing up in Minnesota, I think I stuffed my face the most at Easter. To an embarrassing degree.

Ok, glad I got that off my chest. I feel like we are closer now, you and I. Yes?

One of the reasons I love cooking is because I get to take pieces of my life and bring them together when they might otherwise remain separate entities. Here, I've taken deviled eggs, which will forever and always make me think of my grandmother, and added ingredients that reflect our time spent in Japan. White miso paste, hot mustard, and shichimi togarashi come together in these eggs to create something new for your Easter brunch. A couple of these alongside my Japanese Bloody Mary would be absolute perfection.

Another change I made to these eggs was using Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise. I think Greek yogurt gives the yolk mixtures a lighter, fluffier consistency that is a welcome contrast to the bold flavor of miso and hot mustard. I used Tillamook Farmstyle Greek Yogurt, which is mellow and creamy and absolutely perfect in these deviled eggs.

The icing on the cake? Fresh chives cut directly from my garden. Glorious.

About Tillamook Farmstyle Greek Yogurt

·         Tillamook Farmstyle Greek Yogurt is made with no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, no artificial sweeteners, no high fructose corn syrup and with the highest quality milk from cows not treated with artificial growth hormones.

·         Tillamook Farmstyle Greek is a thick, creamy and less tart yogurt made with buttermilk cultures, while providing 14g of protein per serving.

·         To make their better tasting Greek distinctively ‘Farmstyle’, Tillamook slow churns farm fresh milk with seven active yogurt and buttermilk cultures.

·         Tillamook Farmstyle Greek Yogurt is made with fruits and nuts locally sourced from the Pacific Northwest

·         To find out where to buy Tillamook Farmstyle Greek Yogurt readers can use the handy ‘Where to Buy’ tool by clicking here.

*Full disclosure: Tillamook provided me with product to use in this and other posts. My opinions are 100% my own and this post contains no affiliate links. 

Miso Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

• 1 dozen eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons hot mustard
• 2 tablespoons white miso (shiro miso)
• 2/3 cup 2% or full-fat plain Greek yogurt (I used Tillamook because of it's mild, creamy flavor)
• 1/4 cup chopped chives or green onions
• Shichimi togarashi or other fine red pepper flakes for garnish (you can also use paprika in a pinch)
• salt & pepper to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl before you begin hard boiling the eggs.
2. Gently set the eggs in the bottom of a large pot and fill with cold water until the eggs are covered by about one inch.
3. Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a low boil.
4. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let sit for 6 minutes.
5. Remove the eggs from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to your prepared ice bath.
6. When the eggs have cooled (after about 10 minutes) peel the eggs by first tapping them against the countertop. I like to crack around the equator of the egg and at each end.
7. Using the side of your thumb, carefully peel away the egg and the thin membrane between the egg shell and the egg itself.
8. After hard boiling the eggs and removing the shells, cut them in half and remove the yolk using a small spoon. Collect the yolks in a medium bowl and set the emptied whites on a large plate.
9. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the yolks, mustard, yogurt, and miso paste and pulse until smooth. Stir in the chives.
10. Using a teaspoon, fill each egg half with the yolk mixture. Garnish with a few additional chives and the shichimi togarashi.
11. Arrange the eggs on a platter and serve chilled.