Mentaiko Pasta

Step 1

Bring a pot with about 5 cups of water to a boil.

Step 2

Cut the roe sacs of mentaiko in half, and then use your fingers or chopsticks to squeeze out the roe from the sac into a large bowl. Add the olive oil and black pepper and whisk the mixture together.

Step 3

Add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the boiling water, and then add the spaghetti. Use tongs to submerge the pasta as quickly as possible without breaking it (this will take a little while). Boil the pasta according to the package directions.

Step 4

When the pasta is cooked, transfer it directly from the pot into the bowl with the mentai sauce. Add the butter, and then use tongs to toss the pasta together. Use a ladle to add some of the starchy pasta water to the bowl to create a rich sauce.

Step 5

Garnish the Mentaiko Pasta with nori and serve immediately.