The theme for this week’s recipe is “things that taste good with butter.”
You have a right to ask, “What doesn’t taste good with butter?” And I’d admit you have a fair point.
But there are certain ingredients when paired with butter I can’t resist.
Tomato butter is one of them. This combo works because it contrasts butter’s sweet fat with tomato’s umami tang.
Then there’s smoky butter — which has a bit more obvious appeal, like adding bacon to a cheesy frittata (ahem).
And then one of my favorites: Seaweed butter – a toasty-tasting, land-meets-sea mash-up.
Put all these things together, add some spaghetti and white beans, and you’ve got a special kind of magic.
I will say that when my husband first tasted this dish, he didn’t get it. And then, a few bites in, he said, “Oh yeah, now I understand. Yum!”
The combo of the toasted nori seaweed and tomatoes is unexpected, but I love it.
I’ll be curious to hear what you think.
Spaghetti with Smoky Tomato Butter, Nori, and White Beans
Serves 4 to 6
Time: 30 mins
2 sheets nori or 4 sheets roasted seaweed snacks
12 ounces spaghetti or other long noodle
Salt
3 tablespoons butter, divided
One 6-to-7-ounce jar or can of tomato paste
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
One 15.5-ounce can white beans, such as cannellini
Toast the nori if needed
(If you’re using the roasted seaweed snacks, you can skip this step.)
Heat a burner over medium heat. Using tongs, wave the nori over the burner until it starts to become green and crisp and smell toasty.
Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well.
Add the pasta and cook until just barely al dente (2 to 3 minutes shy of the package instructions).
Scoop out about 2 cups of the pasta water and then drain.
Meanwhile, make the sauce
In a deep skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add half the tomato paste and cook until it darkens and glazes the bottom of the pan. Add the smoked paprika, the remaining tomato paste, 1 cup of the water and the white beans. Season with some salt.
Cook, stirring, until the beans are heated through and infused with some of the flavor, about 5 minutes.
Finish the pasta
Add the spaghetti and remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the sauce and cook, tossing, until the pasta is nicely coated with the sauce. Add more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Taste and season with more salt.
(While seasoning with salt is always important for good flavor, it’s especially true of this dish. It brings out the butter and tomato’s natural sweetness and ties all of the flavors together.)
Tear up the seaweed and sprinkle over the pasta and toss.
Serve hot.
The short version
Toast the seaweed if needed.
Cook the pasta until nearly al dente. Reserve 2 cups of the pasta water and then drain.
In a deep skillet, melt the butter. Add half the tomato paste and cook until caramelized. Add the smoked paprika, remaining tomato paste, the pasta water, spaghetti, and white beans and cook until everything is nicely coated in the sauce.
Tear the crumbled seaweed on top and serve.
Swaps
Instead of butter, use olive oil
Instead of white beans, use chickpeas.
Instead of spaghetti, use any other pasta.
Bonus points
Cook a few cloves of garlic in the butter before adding half the tomato paste.
Add a rind of Parmesan to the cooking water to boost the umami.
Sprinkle with some red pepper flakes.
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to see how it turns out! Tag me on Instagram @kristincdonnelly or use the hashtag #missiondinner
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