Shio Koji Kabocha Squash Pasta

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound Kabocha squash (about 4cup cut in cubes)

  • 1 small onion (about 6oz), sliced

  • 4-5 cups Water

  • 2 tablespoons Shio Koji

  • Sea salt (Optional)

  • 2 tablespoons Canola Oil (or other neutral oil)

  • 12-16oz Dried pasta (like spaghetti or fettuccine)

To finish

  • Extra virgin olive oil

  • Black pepper

How to make:

  1. Preheat a deep pan or sauce pot over medium heat, add canola oil and saute onions until they are cooked through. Add a pinch of salt while sauteing the onions to enhance the sweetness of the onions.

  2. Remove seeds of kabocha squash and cut it into a 1-inch cube so that they would be easily cooked. If you wish to achieve a bright orange color of the sauce, you can peel off the skin, but it would be more nutritious with their peel on.

  3. Add water and cubed kabocha squash to the pan, and simmer them for 15 mins over medium heat. When the squash becomes fork-tender, remove the pan from the heat.

  4. Use a hand blender or a regular blender to puree the sauce. Blend all the ingredients until it gets a smooth consistency. Add the Shio-Koji to taste at this point. Adjust the seasoning with sea salt with your taste.

  5. Cook pasta as directed on the back of the package and drain well.

  6. Toss the pasta in the sauce, adjust the seasoning with salt or Shio-Koji if you need.

  7. Plate the pasta, and drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil for a final touch to add more flavor. Sprinkle freshly crushed black pepper as you wish.

(Recipe by Ai Asada)