Instructions
- Peel the thin skin from the bottarga. Finely grate. Set aside.
- Dissolve the saffron in 3/4 cup of boiled water.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente (2 minutes less than the package recommends). Drain, retaining some of the cooking water.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the spaghetti and then the saffron water. When evenly distributed, add the bottarga. Add some retained cooking water. Mix well until creamy, and serve immediately.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Ed's Review
I scream. You scream. We all scream for bottarga!
Well, maybe not everyone. Only if you like creamy, salty, slightly fishy, and very delicious. What a treat.
Bottarga is salted, cured fish roe, typically of the grey mullet (and sometimes tuna). It is especially popular in Sardegna. The roe pouch is hand-massaged to eliminate air pockets, then dried and cured in sea salt, resulting in a dense slab of roe - like a brick of caviar. It is then grated - and when combined with some pasta cooking water - results in a creamy, salty, and slightly fishy treat. Add a little saffron, and a delicacy is born.
You'll be screaming for bottarga.
Buon Appetito!
Edwin Garrubbo
p.s. These are few ingredients, so quality really matters. Visit Gustiamo today for either whole or grated bottarga! Saffron too! And Extra Virgin Olive Oil! And while you're at it, try this delicious spaghetti!
