I used to live in Japan and if you have ever spent time there you probably know that the Japanese can appreciate a good classic Italian pasta dish as much as any American. You probably also know that the Japanese are endlessly creative with pasta, adapting it to their palates and the flavor profiles they enjoy most in Japanese food. This means spicy cod roe pasta topped with shredded seaweed, pasta with fermented soy beans and all kinds of other, Japanese, takes on spaghetti as we know it. Miso is one of those ingredients that appears often in Japanese pasta dishes and it works REALLY well. I came up with this dish because I almost always have miso, dried spaghetti and the handful of other items it requires on hand. I love the combination of toasty, umami flavors and the crunch of the hazelnuts. I find that a tiny splash of vinegar at the end brings the sauce together and brightens up the dish.

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