The dukkah, a nutty Egyptian condiment, makes more than you'll need for this recipe, so save the extra to sprinkle over grilled or roasted vegetables, or enjoy as a topping for any green or grain salad.
Ingredients
Dukkah
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2 tablespoons pine nuts
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1 tablespoon fennel seeds
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1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds
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½ teaspoon smoked paprika
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Kosher salt
Uni Butter
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½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
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1 ounce uni gonads
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½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
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½ small garlic clove, finely grated
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½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
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½ teaspoon smoked paprika
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¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest and plus 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
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⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Pasta
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10 - 12 ounces squid-ink mafaldine or other long dried pasta
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½ cup finely chopped scallions
Description
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. While the water is heating, make the dukkah: In a small dry skillet, cook the pine nuts, fennel seeds, and sesame seeds over medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and lightly crush, or place in a plastic bag and lightly crush with a rolling pin or skillet. Stir in the paprika and set dukkah aside.
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Make the uni butter: In a medium bowl, combine the butter, uni, oregano, garlic, red-pepper flakes, smoked paprika, lemon zest and juice, and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat the uni butter together until smooth. Set aside.
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Cook the pasta in boiling water until just al dente. Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of uni butter over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook, stirring often, until tender and lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
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Add the cooked pasta and the 1/4 cup of pasta water to the skillet along with 2 more tablespoons of uni butter. Toss to combine, then divide among shallow bowls and serve garnished with a light sprinkle of dukkah.
