Botarga pasta is a traditional dish of Sardinia and Sicily, although with obvious differences between the two regions. especially thebotarga pairing with anchovies It is typical of Sardinia. However, the real difference lies in the preparation of the botarga, or the salted and dried fish roe.
Sardinian, the most valuable, is produced mainly with mullet eggs (mullet) and has a golden amber color and a more delicate flavor.
In Sicily, however, it is produced with tuna roe: It is darker in color (between brown and brick red) and has a stronger flavor.
[Ah, a proposito di tonno, anche se qui non c’entra niente, m’è tornata in mente una ricetta ch’è una bomba: il Tonno in crosta di erbe aromatiche e mandorle. Permettetemi di consigliarvela!]
It seems that the name comes from Arabic butarikh, meaning “salted fish roe”. It is no coincidence that in the Sardinian dialect the bottarga is called “butàriga”, where the assonance with Arabic is evident. However bottarga is much earlier: it dates back to the Phoenicians. But there is also the hypothesis that was invented by the Nuragic populations of Sardiniafrom where the Phoenicians would later extend it throughout the Mediterranean.
The botarga aroma is very characteristic.: perhaps the one that most resembles the sea. For this reason, the most traditional recipes are essential, based on a seasoning of only three ingredients: oil, garlic and botarga. From here you can add different ingredients: cherry tomatoes, breadcrumbs, capers, olives, basil and more. It is also frequently accompanied with shellfish: see here, for example, the recipe for pasta with mussels and botarga.
Important: do not overdo it with the latter, even if you like them a lot. The protagonist of the dish is and must continue to be the roewhose aroma must be enhanced, not covered by anchovies
- 360 g linguine or spaghetti
- 100 g of boargo
- 3 anchovy fillets in oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- Parsley
- extra virgin olive oil
- Grate all the roe and reserve them in a cup.
- Cut the garlic into slices and gently brown them in a saucepan with 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over low heat. It should release its aroma in the oil, but not fry
- Add the anchovies and, again over low heat, crumble them into the oil, mashing them with a wooden spoon or fork.
- Let it take flavor for 2 (two) minutes, then turn off the heat and immediately add the botarga and two tablespoons of chopped parsley. Without salt, because roe and anchovies are very salty
- Meanwhile you will have already put the linguine to boil in salted water (this one is). Drain them and dress them with the botarga sauce, adding two tablespoons of the pasta cooking water.
Brief tips from the sommelier Ilaria Lombardo (@ilarietta77) on how to drink in moderation but well, combining wines and regional dishes in the best possible way
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Typical island dish, the pasta with botarga, anchovies and parsley can be combined with a Vermentino de Gallura DOCG, a dry wine of straw yellow color, pleasant on the nose, soft and intense. There are several types of this wine, but for lovers of strong and determined flavors, you can venture a Vermentino di Gallura DOCG late harvest or passitosince the flavor of the roe and anchovies can be tempered with the softness-sweetness of the wine.
It should be tasted at 8 – 10 degrees in the dry version; 10 – 12 degrees in the passito version.
Alternatively, try one Vernaccia of Oristano DOCG, of a bright golden yellow color with which the roe literally marries perfectly. It is a dry wine, very soft on the palate, although with a significant alcohol content. In the mouth you will taste aromas of dried fig, almond and vanilla.
It is an elegant wine since it is vinified in a very particular way; The barrels in which the Vernaccia is poured are left empty to promote oxidation and are replaced by ‘new’ wine, which in turn is poured into smaller barrels, where it refines. It should be tasted at a temperature of 10 – 12 degrees.
