Much like the everlasting debate about pizza and its proper toppings, the culinary fusion of itameshi (a combination of Italian and Japanese cuisine) has its fair share of both champions and critics.
The category of pasta, on the other hand, tends to be more judgment-free. I am a fan of well-made Napolitan, but there is much more to Japanese-style pasta than that. From soy sauce or miso butter pastas to uni (sea urchin) or fish roe cream sauces, this is a category as wide as the Japanese pantry is deep.
In Italy’s Basilicata region (located right in the instep of the boot), locals eat capunti, a hand-shaped pasta meant to resemble pea or bean pods. In this recipe, I’ve playfully combined it with shelled soybeans as an edamame homage served with herbed breadcrumbs, because panko is a staple here.