Non-VegetarianSiciliana cuisine Main Course

Spaghetti alla Bottarga

Name: Spaghetti alla Bottarga
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Siciliana
Ingredients: 400 g Spaghetti; 60 g bottarga di tonno; 75 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 2 cloves Garlic; 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 tsp lemon zest; 10 g Fine sea salt

Spaghetti tossed in garlic-infused olive oil and finished off the heat with intensely savoury grated tuna bottarga and fresh lemon zest.

🇮🇹Italy· Sicily

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 12 min
Total: 22 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 490 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

400 g Spaghetti — bronze-die extruded preferred
60 g bottarga di tonno — cured tuna roe, finely grated
75 ml Extra virgin olive oil — good quality Sicilian oil
2 cloves Garlic — peeled and lightly bruised
15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
1 tsp lemon zest — finely grated from an untreated lemon
10 g Fine sea salt — for the pasta water

Equipment

•Large pasta pot
•Large frying pan
•Fine microplane grater
•Tongs
•Colander

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 490 kcal
fat: 12 g
carbs: 74 g
fibre: 3 g
protein: 21 g
calories: 490 kcal

Instructions

1
Bring 4 litres of water to a rolling boil and add the sea salt.
2
Add the spaghetti and cook until two minutes shy of the packet instructions.
3
Warm the olive oil and bruised garlic cloves in a large frying pan over low heat.
4
Cook gently until the garlic is fragrant and pale gold, then discard the cloves.
5
Ladle 60 ml of hot pasta cooking water into the warm garlic oil.
6
Transfer the drained spaghetti directly into the pan using tongs.
7
Toss the pasta vigorously over low heat for one minute until a glossy emulsion forms.
8
Remove the pan completely from the heat.
9
Add two-thirds of the grated bottarga, the chopped parsley, and the lemon zest.
10
Toss thoroughly so the residual heat melts the roe into the sauce.
11
Divide among warm bowls and scatter the remaining grated bottarga on top.

Chef's tips

Never cook the bottarga directly over active heat, as it will turn bitter, rubbery, and lose its delicate maritime perfume. Keep the pasta cooking water lightly salted because the cured roe provides natural salinity.

Ingredient substitutions

bottarga di tonno → bottarga di muggine (cured mullet roe), which is milder, sweeter, and golden in colour

Storage

Best enjoyed immediately; refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 1 day.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a warm pan with a spoonful of warm water without boiling.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Frying the bottarga in sizzling oil, which ruins its texture and delicate oceanic flavour.
•Over-salting the boiling water, resulting in an unpleasantly salty final dish.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately in warm pasta bowls with extra grated bottarga at the table.Pair with a crisp Sicilian white wine such as Grillo, Catarratto, or Inzolia.