A bowl of dialogue. A comfort reshaped. A whisper between Kyoto and Rome.

Why

Because comfort meets craft. Japan’s udon noodles — thick, chewy, grounding — step into Italy’s most iconic pasta dish. Carbonara’s creaminess finds new rhythm in a new texture.

The Dish

Udon noodles tossed in a miso-Parmesan sauce, laced with crisp pancetta (or shiitake for the vegetarian table), finished with a golden yolk and a scatter of scallions. The umami of miso, the bite of cheese, the silk of egg — a union both surprising and inevitable.

Ingredients

• 14 oz (400 g) fresh udon noodles
• 3 oz pancetta (or shiitake mushrooms), diced and crisped
• 2 egg yolks
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp white miso paste
• 1 clove garlic, gently sautéed
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• Black pepper, freshly cracked

Method

1. Cook udon noodles until just tender. Drain, reserving ½ cup of cooking water.
2. In a skillet, crisp pancetta (or shiitake) with garlic until golden.
3. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, Parmesan, miso, and a splash of hot noodle water into a silky sauce.
4. Toss hot noodles with pancetta and remove from heat. Quickly add the egg-miso mixture, stirring until noodles are coated in glossy creaminess.
5. Top with scallions and cracked black pepper. Serve immediately — steam rising, cultures mingling.

Storyline

Noodles as bridge builders — a Roman whisper in a Kyoto bowl.

H&F Note: This dish is best served in a deep ceramic bowl, with chopsticks resting against the rim and a fork nearby — because some meals deserve both languages at once.