Yield: 4 appetizer servings. Courtesy of "Noodle Kids," Quarry Books. Chef Sawyer likes to think of these “almost like potato latkes, gently assembled and easy to pick up.” He suggests serving with creamy tomato soup mixed with miso, or with onion dip or hummus.

16 ounces fresh ramen noodles

1 tablespoon salted butter

1 bunch scallions, sliced

1 clove garlic, smashed

1 teaspoon paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups shredded aged cheddar cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Fill a pot with water and season with salt until it tastes like seawater. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook the ramen noodles for 8 minutes. Strain them but do not rinse them; you want that extra starch.

In a large bowl, combine the hot ramen noodles, butter, scallions, garlic, paprika, and salt and pepper. Allow the ramen to cool slightly, and then fold in the cheeses. You want to stir gently, but it’s okay if the noodles tear a little.

Line a baking pan with lightly greased parchment paper. Transfer the ramen mixture to the pan and spread evenly to form a ramen cake. The cake should be 1 & ½ to 2 & 1/2-inches thick. Top the mixture with another piece of lightly greased parchment paper. Place cans or heavy lid on top of the parchment paper to compress the cake.

Refrigerate the ramen cake for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. Once the cake has cooled, turn it out onto a cutting board, still layered with the parchment. Cut the cake, still in the parchment paper, into 3-inch squares. Remove the parchment paper and press each ramen cake in a panini press at medium heat until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

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