Photo by Joseph De Leo; styled by Mariya Yufest

Joanne Bruno tells us that this East-meets-West pasta recipe of hers was inspired by her favorite sushi bar order: a vegetarian sweet potato tempura roll. A quick look at the recipe title has us wondering if she's as much a fan of sushi condiments -- namely, ginger and wasabi -- as the sushi itself. (We wouldn't blame her -- wasabi's heat can be intoxicating.) And why not shine the spotlight on this trusty duo, always dependably stationed -- one pickled, one powdered -- along our sushi boats' sidelines? 

Aside from elevating two spicy roots, what Joanne's really done here is give us a glimpse of her vegetarian sushi eating experience through a playful Italian lens: homemade pasta infused with both fresh and ground ginger anchors a thick sauce made of mashed sweet potato and fresh wasabi (feel free to substitute the powdered kind).

From there, she scoots southwest to Thailand to borrow flavors that round out the dish: coconut milk, red curry paste, brown sugar, and fresh lime juice. Far from being confused or jarred by this departure, we're left inspired. Inspired by her inventiveness, by her resourcefulness in finding a way to bridge the Asia-Europe gap. Inspired to dig into the nuances of the fusion dish, bite after bite, until there's nothing left. 

Homemade Ginger Pasta with Sweet Potato Wasabi Sauce by Joanne Bruno

Serves 4

Homemade Ginger Pasta:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
4 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried ginger
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed

Sweet Potato Wasabi Sauce and Assembly:

1 1/2 pound sweet potatoes
14 ounces light coconut milk
1 teaspoon red curry paste
2 tablespoons grated fresh wasabi
3 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 lime, juiced
16 ounces frozen peas
1 recipe homemade ginger pasta
Salt and pepper, to taste

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

How do you experiment with fusion recipes at home? Share your cooking tips and ideas in the comments section below.

Like this post? See our Make This Tonight topic from last week: "Mocha" Chili.