Miso Carbonara Udon
A recipe for Miso Carbonara Udon inspired by our visit to Little Tokyo in Los Angeles, California! Thick udon noodles are coated in a creamy miso sauce with plenty of cheese.
Servings 2 Servings
Ingredients
- 1.75 pounds (794 grams) frozen Sanuki Udon about 3 bricks
- 2 ounces (57 grams) freshly grated Parmesan divided
- 2 ounces (57 grams) freshly grated Pecorino divided
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons (34 grams) white miso
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) pasta water
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter
- 3.5 ounces (99 grams) diced guanciale or thick-cut bacon
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) sake optional
Topping:
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- 2 Egg yolks optional
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the udon bricks and cook until tender. Reserve 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) of the cooking water, drain, and set aside.
- While the water is coming to a boil, whisk together 3/4 of the Parmesan, 3/4 of the Pecorino, egg yolks, miso, and black pepper. Slowly whisk in the reserved hot cooking water until smooth. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a wok or large pan over medium heat.
- Add the guanciale or bacon pieces and cook, stirring often, until the fat has rendered and the pieces are crisp. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the grease. If desired, set aside a few pieces of the pork to use as garnish.
- Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. If using, pour in the sake to deglaze the pan and simmer until nearly evaporated.
- Toss in the tender udon until evenly combined and remove from heat. After 1-2 minutes, quickly toss in the egg yolk miso mixture.
- Serve immediately topped with thinly sliced green onions, the remaining 1/4 Parmesan and Pecorino, egg yolks if desired (consume raw eggs at your own risk), pork pieces if reserved, and an additional sprinkling of black pepper.