I've been wanting to try a recipe with tahini for a while now. Tahini is a Middle Eastern paste made from sesame seeds and olive oil. After two failed attempts and scouring every aisle in my local grocery stores, I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to find any tahini, but thankfully I enlisted the help of a employee at Harris Teeter who found it among the Jewish food. It is a large jar that is fairly expensive...I think we paid around $8, but wow, is it worth it!! It is like a runny peanut butter, but with a rich sesame taste and it was definitely the star in this recipe. This is one of my favorite things I have made so far in my food blogging career. The blend of peanut butter, tahini, sesame oil, and rice vinegar make a smooth and creamy sauce and the crunch of the green onions and sesame seeds on top of the carrots and pasta make this dish delicious comfort food.
I whole heartedly recommend that the next time you are at the grocery you ask where the tahini is. Definitely ask - don't waste a ton of time searching for it like me! Now that I have a whole lot of leftover tahini, I am going to try to find more recipes that use it, , so if you have any suggestions, please let me know!!
Sesame Noodles
From Good Things Catered
1 (8oz) package whole wheat thin spaghetti
1 large carrot, ends removed and sliced into thin matchsticks
1 heaping Tbsp tahini
1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp good quality sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
6 green onions, sliced thinly, dark green ends removed
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine tahini, peanut butter, sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce and green onions. Stir to combine well and set aside. In last 2 minutes of cooking time, add carrot pieces to boiling water. Remove 1 c. pasta water from pan and set aside. Drain pasta and carrots and place into large bowl along with other ingredients. Add 1/2 of reserved pasta water and toss to combine all ingredients. Add sesame seeds, let sit for 1 minute and add additional pasta water to obtain desired consistency. Serve warm or cold.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine tahini, peanut butter, sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce and green onions. Stir to combine well and set aside. In last 2 minutes of cooking time, add carrot pieces to boiling water. Remove 1 c. pasta water from pan and set aside. Drain pasta and carrots and place into large bowl along with other ingredients. Add 1/2 of reserved pasta water and toss to combine all ingredients. Add sesame seeds, let sit for 1 minute and add additional pasta water to obtain desired consistency. Serve warm or cold.
hummus!
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