hwoo.lee
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December 17, 2025
You heard of “butter pasta”? In college, I always saw friends just cook pasta, throw some butter in it, and call it dinner. I’m not gonna judge, because I’ve done some questionable things in college too, but I swear if someone asks me to make that for them, imma slap them and then make them this.
This dish elevates “butter pasta.” It’s a combination of a tart citrus and nutty, rich brown butter.
Yuzu is a citrus fruit grown predominantly in Asia. It’s tart like grapefruit, but not bitter, and has subtle notes similar to mandarins. It’s pretty difficult to find these in America, but you can find high-quality bottled yuzu juice at Japanese markets and online. Alternatively, you can use lemon juice for this dish (but it just won’t be the same).
If you don’t want to make dashi concentrate, you can buy bottled shiro dashi. If you do make it, it can be used to make quick broths for noodles, vinaigrettes for salads, a base for miso soup, and more.
If you don’t want to make pasta from scratch, I’d recommend buying dry lasagna sheets. They’ll be thicker than how this pasta is intended to be made, but you’re going for convenience here.
If by hand: Place the flour (375 g) on your counter and make a well in the center with the bottom of a bowl. Pour the egg (1 whole), yolks (4), water (118 mL), and salt (1 ½ tsp) into the well. Slowly stir with a fork, gradually incorporating the flour until you can knead by hand, about 15-20 minutes.
If by stand mixer: Add the flour (375 g) and salt (1 ½ tsp) first, mix on low with the paddle attachment, then add the egg (1 whole), yolks (4), and water (118 mL). Mix on low until the dough is stiff and smooth, about 10 minutes, then remove and knead by hand for 2 minutes.
Rest the dough: Once kneaded into a uniform ball, wrap the dough with plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
Roll out pasta: Using a rolling pin, roll out your dough until it's thin enough to go through your pasta roller. Roll out your dough on the widest setting, making one pass per thickness notch, up until the second-to-thinnest setting (usually marked 6 or 7).
Aim for 4 inches thick
Cut and store: Place your pasta on a rack to dry for about 10-15 minutes. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut your pasta into 4×4 inch squares—these don't need to be perfect, you can even tear them. Generously flour each piece. A typical portion is 7-9 blankets per serving.
If not using right away, store in a paper bag or ziploc in the fridge (up to 2 days) or freeze for up to 2 months.
Heat olive oil (1 Tbsp) in a small frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the panko crumbs (63 g). Constantly mix to ensure even cooking.
They will darken quickly, so take them off the heat before they look completely ready.
Spread in a thin layer on a paper towel and let cool. Optionally, season with togarashi, salt, pepper, or any dry spices.
You don't need to measure the ingredients precisely - you just need a touch of oil to help the panko fry. Eyeball it, adding more oil if the panko seems too dry, and mix thoroughly so nothing clumps.
In a frying pan (about 25 ⅓ cm) over medium-high heat, melt the butter (2 ½ Tbsp) and whisk frequently until the milk solids begin to brown, about 1-2 minutes. It will first foam, then subside, and light-brown specks will form along with a nutty aroma—make sure not to burn these milk solids.
Stir in the yuzu juice (1 Tbsp) and dashi concentrate (1 Tbsp), then remove from heat.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta blankets (227 g), a few pieces at a time so they don't stick, and boil until al dente, 1-2 minutes.
Once cooked, you'll have to act quickly. Remove the pasta from the water, then drop it into your pan of brown butter yuzu dashi sauce over medium-high heat. Stir gently to evenly coat all your blankets with the sauce.
Turn off the heat, sprinkle in the Parmigiano Reggiano (3 Tbsp), and add a splash of hot pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Stir gently—this should take about 30 to 60 seconds.
Plate and garnish with any or all of the recommended garnishes: panko crumble (1 Tbsp), chopped chives (1 Tbsp), minced shiso leaf (1 Tbsp), parsley leaves, fresh cracked black pepper, and a small drizzle of olive oil.
This pasta is best made in batches of 2 servings or less in a single frying pan. Making more than 2 servings in one pan will overcrowd the pasta, making it harder to heat, emulsify, and incorporate the sauce. Using a larger pan/pot may work, but it will take longer to heat since most home stoves don't get as hot as commercial stoves.
This is a textural topping that's great on a variety of dishes.
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