Spaghetti with Roasted Tomato Miso Sauce
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From my mother, from her grace, I have learnt that grief and the metabolism of trauma is, and should always be, personal.
There is unspeakable pain and loss in the world right now. Let’s find the grace and humanity to hold each other in community.
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International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian organization that has been present in Israel and Gaza since 1967.
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A small amount of news. I will be appearing at the Portland Book Festival on November 4 at 10am, on a panel called Eat Your Vegetables. If you’re in Portland, Oregon, join us. I can’t wait to visit again, I just loved my stop there during the Tenderheart book tour. A gorgeous city of food lovers.
This week, I don’t really have the right words, but I am offering a recipe that I hope will bring a small amount of comfort. This spaghetti with roasted tomatoes and miso dish is actually from my friend Nik Sharma’s upcoming new book Veg-Table, Recipes, Techniques + Plant Science for Big-Flavored Vegetable-Focussed Meals (many of you may also know Nik from his substack
). This is a vegetable book, yes, but it is written from Nik’s very unique point of view as a molecular biologist. As with all of Nik’s work, Veg-Table is meticulously researched, full of rich stories, bold flavors, and evocative photography. A wonderful addition to your vegetable cookbook library.A note, because I know this is important to my readers, Veg-Table is predominantly, but not 100%, vegetarian. Some recipes do feature meat.
Thank you to Nik and Chronicle Books for allowing me to share this preview recipe with you all. Veg-Table is released on October 24, 2023 and is available for preorder now.
Spaghetti with Roasted Tomato Miso Sauce
© Nik Sharma, excerpted by Hetty Lui McKinnon for To Vegetables, With Love (full credit at end of recipe)
It is Autumn in New York, but the tomatoes are still really good. I bought four punnets of small tomatoes this week to make this recipe. The sun golds were juicy and the “honey bombs” delivered on the sweet, tangy crunch that was promised on its packaging. This recipe uses a good amount of tomatoes and that is the reason the flavors are so deep. Nik’s little twist of miso is a deft touch, bringing that vital suggestion of ‘something different’ that keeps us coming back for more. This recipe is a keeper.
From Nik Sharma: When I first created this pasta sauce for my newsletter, The Flavor Files, I was a little nervous. It deviates a lot from the norm, but it became one of the most popular recipes to date. Miso provides an instantaneous source of umami and balances out the taste of the sauce rather wonderfully. It also helps thicken the sauce.
Serves 4
3 lb [1.4 kg] cherry or grape tomatoes
½ cup [120 ml] extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb [455 g] dried spaghetti
4 garlic cloves, grated
2 tsp red pepper flakes such as Aleppo, Maras, or Urfa
¼ cup [40 g] white or yellow miso paste
¼ cup [15 g] grated Parmesan (use vegetarian brand)
torn fresh basil leaves
Preheat the oven to 400°F [200°C].
On a baking sheet, toss 3 lb [1.4 kg] cherry or grape tomatoes with ¼ cup [60 ml] extra-virgin olive oil and roast until the tomatoes start to burst and turn a light golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through cooking, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the tomatoes with the juices to a blender or food processor. Pulse on high speed into a smooth purée.
While the tomatoes roast, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 1 lb [455 g] dried spaghetti until al dente, per the package instructions. Drain the cooked pasta and transfer to a large bowl.
In a medium saucepan, warm ¼ cup [60 ml] extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add 4 garlic cloves, grated, and 2 tsp red pepper flakes such as Aleppo, Maras, or Urfa and swirl in the hot oil until fragrant and the oil starts to turn red, 30 to 45 seconds. Remove from the heat and whisk in ¼ cup [40 g] white or yellow miso paste. Stir in the puréed tomatoes until smooth and free of lumps. Return the saucepan to the stove, bring to a boil over high heat, then turn down the heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and season with fine sea salt. Remove from the heat.
Fold the spaghetti with the tomato sauce. Garnish with ¼ cup [15 g] grated Parmesan and torn fresh basil leaves. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
THE COOK’S NOTES
· Roasting the tomatoes helps concentrate their flavors and makes them taste sweeter. The color of the sauce will vary depending on the color of the tomatoes you use, but that won’t affect the final taste.
• You can opt for a hotter red pepper here, but I prefer a much gentler heat.
Veg-Table: Recipes, Techniques + Plant Science for Big Flavored, Vegetable-Focused Meals by Nik Sharma. © 2023. Published by Chronicle Books.
As always, I greatly appreciate your wise + heartfelt words -- “From my mother, from her grace, I have learnt that grief and the metabolism of trauma is, and should always be, personal. There is unspeakable pain and loss in the world right now. Let’s find the grace and humanity to hold each other in community.” Grateful for this space + community you foster.
Oh my! I am roasting the last batches of my garden tomatoes as I write. This recipe will be tried this week! I love miso but never thought of combining them. Thank you for sharing your adventuresome food explorations. Please keep them coming!