Marmite Pasta

I think I am a bit late to this trend, but I am no stranger to the infinite culinary possibilities of marmite as an umami bomb. I noticed most recipes pair marmite with parmesan cheese, which is a bit too heavy for me, especially combined with a butter base for the sauce. I used tahini instead to give a deep, nutty bitterness and offset the saltiness of the marmite. The fennel seeds give a touch of sweet astringency, rounding out the flavour profile of this dish. The egg yolk is an extra bit of indulgence to make the sauce more robust. This recipe serves one.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. ghee or butter
• 1 pinch fennel seeds
• 1 pinch pepper
• ½ cup summer squash, cubed
• ½ can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1-2 tsp. marmite
• 1-2 tsp. tahini (use the same measurements for the marmite and tahini)
• 1 palmful of pasta (I used tagliatelle)
• 1 egg yolk
• Juice from ¼ lemon
• Sesame seeds (garnish)

Method

1. Heat a small pot of water on high heat
2. When boiling, add salt (enough to impart taste to the pasta)
3. Add in pasta and boil until al dente
4. In a small saucepan, heat the butter on the stove at medium heat
5. Add the fennel seeds to temper until brown or aromatic
6. Add the squash to sauté
7. After 30 seconds, add the chickpeas, marmite, pepper, and tahini
8. Stir until well-combined
9. Once the pasta is finished, save a bit of the cooking water and drain the rest
10. Add pasta water to sauce to reach the consistency of gravy
11. Add the pasta and fold to combine
12. Add lemon juice
13. Serve in a bowl and place egg yolk on top
14. Garnish with sesame seeds
15. Enjoy