Mentaiko pasta, a Japanese dish that brings two worlds together, marries the comforting familiarity and ‘al dente’ texture of pasta with the richness of spiced cod roe. The combination is ethereal, with pasta serving as a canvas for the roe, allowing it to permeate throughout the dish and give diners a nuanced, savory, rich experience. It’s one example of Wafu cuisine, fusing Japanese and Italian flavors together. Mentaiko pasta serves up an ideal balance between the familiar and the exotic, offering modern chefs opportunity to adapt it into a signature version, exploring different pasta shapes and bending the classic into an original interpretation.

“Mentaiko pasta is the Japanese play on cacio e pepe,” says Ian Ramirez, Founder of Mad Honey Creative Studio, a culinary consultancy based in Grand Rapids, Mich. “For my iteration, I wanted to keep it umami-rich and introduce more Japanese flavors while still making sure the pasta was the star,” says Ramirez. For his Mentaiko “Eggs on Eggs on Eggs,” he starts by spooning unagi sauce onto the plate, then adding a surprise element over top: a thin omelette, seasoned with furikake and toasted sesame seeds. Next, he lays down a nest of Barilla Spaghetti that he has tossed in a sauce of mentaiko eggs, Parmesan, half and half, melted butter, black pepper and soy sauce. To garnish, Ramirez adds a fried quail egg, shiso leaf and nori strips.

“This is such a simple, easy dish that carries a lot of impact,” says Ramirez. “Salted cod roe has a great flavor punch, and pasta dishes are always a hit, so this dish gives guests something new but familiar.”

Why Barilla?

Ramirez has been a chef for more than 20 years, with expertise across the foodservice landscape, including more than a decade in the non-commercial segment. He partners with Barilla because of the company’s expertise. “The people behind the brand are professional and passionate about what they do,” he says. “I appreciate the tradition behind the brand and respect their knowledge about pasta.”

Working in high-volume catering over the years makes Ramirez appreciate Barilla Frozen®, which delivers the same quality, but with the time- and labor-saving benefits of pre-cooked pasta. “We find that it’s really helpful when you are working with less labor and need to cut corners but can’t compromise quality,” says Ramirez. “Barilla Frozen is really easy to use. There are so many novice cooks in professional kitchens today who will often overcook pasta. With this product, you take that worry away—they open it, slack, heat, and serve.”

There are four pasta shapes available in the Barilla Frozen line today—cellentani, elbows, penne and rigatoni. Barilla will announce long-cuts innovation soon. Stay tuned.

For more recipe inspiration, go to barillafs.com/frozen.