Korean-Italian Fusion Pasta

Fusion food, a style of cooking that mixes ingredients, flavours and preparation methods from different cultures is about creativity and innovations.  It is also about what is available and a good understanding of what work well together.  For this fusion pasta dish, we have mixed mushrooms sautéed in butter and garlic, flavoured with Korean soybean paste or 'Doenjang' and a splash of white wine.   After the pasta goes in, grated Italian Parmesan cheese is sprinkled on top for a touch of umami.

Note:  Korean Doenjang can be substituted with Japanese Miso paste.

Serves 3

INGREDIENTS

• 200g / 7oz dried pasta such as linguine or spaghetti
• 300g / 10½oz mixed mushrooms, sliced or torn into bite-size pieces
• 2 tablespoons Korean soybean paste or Doenjang
• 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• ½ teaspoon dry red chilli flakes
• ¼ cup white wine
• sea salt, to taste
• a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

METHOD

1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook according to package directions until they are al dente.  Drain pasta in a colander and retain ⅓ cup of the cooking water.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the soybean paste and 2-3 tablespoons of the pasta water until smooth.
3. Melt butter over medium heat in a large frying pan.  Add garlic and chilli flakes.  Cook gently until fragrant, about 1 minute, but do not let the garlic burn.
4. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until just softened.
5. Add wine and let it bubble for 30 seconds for the alcohol to evaporate.
6. Give the soybean mixture a quick stir and pour it over the mushrooms.  Stir to combine.
7. Add the pasta and enough of the reserved pasta water to form a sauce.  Toss to coat the pasta with the sauce.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Top with grated Parmesan cheese.  Serve immediately.