If frozen, let two packages fresh udon noodles (500 g total) sit on the counter to thaw, or run under water in a colander. Pat dry before proceeding.

Add 2 teaspoons olive oil to a small-medium skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add ⅓ cup fine breadcrumbs. Stir to coat in the oil, season with salt, and let toast, stirring occasionally, until golden brown all over, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Stir to coat and season to taste with salt. Transfer to a bowl.

Wipe out the skillet or pot with a paper towel and place over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter, 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, ⅓ cup tomato paste, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 2 teaspoons salt. Adjust heat to maintain a vigorous simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until tomato paste has significantly darkened to a dark, rusty red and smells caramelized, about 6-7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium if necessary to prevent burning. Remove from heat and immediately add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar to stop the cooking. Stir to combine.

Locate the largest nonstick pot or pan you have. Preheat for 2 whole minutes over medium-high. Add the remaining 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil, swirl to coat, and add the defrosted and dried udon noodles. Gently toss to coat thoroughly in oil and season with salt. Spread into an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, for about 5-7 minutes. Resist the urge to stir! Take a peek at the undersides of the noodles. As soon as they’ve crisped and turned to the yellowish shade of a McDonald’s french fry, gently toss and spread again in an even layer. Continue to cook until the noodles crisp in more areas, about 5-6 minutes longer. If necessary, repeat this process of stirring and spreading in an even layer until about 60% of the noodles are crisped. The goal here is not to crisp the noodles all over: you’re going for variation in texture, with some remaining tender, and others that become super crispy. Note that the color won’t change much in the crisped noodles. Now for saucing: Scrape the tomato sauce into the pan with the udon. Add ¼ cup water, shaking and stirring the pan continuously to create sauciness and to coat the noodles. Continue adding water, a tablespoon at a time, until noodles are well-coated: saucy and glossy! Remove from heat and season to taste with sherry vinegar and more salt. Serve immediately, topping each portion with many, many breadcrumbs, and aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes to taste.