Doenjang Cream Pasta

Method

1. Fill a 24 cm pot with the water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, about 10 min. Add the salt.

   Add in this stepWater for the pasta 2 LSalt for the pasta water (less than usual; doenjang is salty) 12 g

   high heat

2. While the water heats, cut the bacon into 1 cm strips, thinly slice the mushrooms and garlic, and finely slice the onion and chili. Roll up the perilla leaves and cut into thin ribbons. Whisk the doenjang into the milk until completely smooth.

   Add in this stepDoenjang (Korean soybean paste) 1 tbspMilk 80 ml

3. Drop the spaghetti into the boiling water and cook 1 minute less than the packet says. Meanwhile, put the butter and bacon in a 26 cm frying pan and fry over medium heat for 3 min until the edges crisp. Add the garlic, onion and mushrooms and fry 4 min more, until the mushrooms are golden.

   Add in this stepSpaghetti 180 gButter 15 gBacon 60 gGarlic cloves 3Onion 50 gButton mushrooms 100 g

   medium heat

4. Pour the doenjang milk and the cream into the pan and simmer gently over medium-low heat for 3 min, until small bubbles appear at the edges and the sauce thickens slightly. Do not boil hard or the cream may split.

   Add in this stepHeavy cream 180 ml

   medium-low heat

5. Lift the pasta into the pan with tongs and add 2 to 3 tbsp of pasta water, the parmigiano and the chili. Toss over medium heat for 1 min 30 sec, until the sauce clings to the pasta in a glossy coat. If it gets too thick, add a little more pasta water.

   Add in this stepGrated Parmigiano Reggiano (or Parmesan) 20 gHot green chili 1

   medium heat

6. Plate, grind over black pepper and pile the perilla ribbons on top. Serve at once.

   Add in this stepBlack pepper to tastePerilla leaves (or basil) 3