Itameshi Recipe: O By Kissaki's Miso Rigatoni Bolognese

Many world travelers swear by the Italian cuisine they’ve tasted in Japan. Japanese Italian, or “itameshi,” is in part distinct for the ingredients the chefs use, such as Japanese pickled plums and Japanese mayonnaise, or kewpie. O by Kissaki in East Hampton intertwines both traditions masterfully, as evident in Executive Chef Partner Mark Garcia’s miso rigatoni Bolognese.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp Fennel Seed
1 tbsp Black Peppercorns
1 tsp Chili Flake
50 g Canola Oil
5 lbs Ground pork shoulder
15 g Salt
225 g Onions, small dice
225 g Carrots, small dice
225 g Celery, small dice
750 g San Marzano Sul Sarno Tomatoes
500 g White Wine
500 g Dashi
100 g Saikyo Miso
75 g Tonkatsu Sauce
1 tbsp Yuzu Kosho
50 g Tomato Paste
15 g Salt
Red Wine Vinegar, to taste

Directions:
1. Toast fennel seed.
2. In a very hot rondeau, with the canola oil, brown the pork. Season the pork with the first amount of salt.
3. After browning, using a large whisk break apart the cooked pork to ensure there are no large clumps.
4. Add the vegetables to the rondeau, sweat onions, carrots and celery. When veggies are translucent, add in fennel seed, black pepper and chili flakes.
5. Add the tomato paste and cook.
6. After tomato paste is starting to stick on pan and has darkened in color, deglaze with white wine and reduce to sec.
7. Next add miso paste, dashi, yuzu kosho and tomato puree.
8. Cook down the ragu for about half an hour, or until it is no longer watery.
9. Season with red wine vinegar and salt to taste and cool down the ragu.

For more itameshi, visit O by Kissaki at 47 Montauk Highway, East Hampton. exploreobykissaki.com