Pasta with bottarga is a classic of Mediterranean cuisine. The recipe is simple; the key is having the right ingredients and a few tips. Renaud Ramamourty, chef at the Petrossian restaurant, shares his recipe for perfect results.
Preparation: 10 minutes – Cooking: 5 minutes
Ingredients for 4 people
- 300 g of fresh egg fettuccine
- 30 cl of olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 50 g of bottarga
- 1 bunch of parsley
- 2 lemons
- Fleur de sel
- Freshly ground black pepper
Recipe
- Grate the lemon zest and squeeze the juice. Peel and chop the garlic. Wash and chop the parsley. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine for two minutes.
- Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water for the sauce.
- In a pan, heat the olive oil, crushed garlic, lemon zest, and 12 cl of cooking water. Reduce until creamy.
- Add the fettuccine to the sauce and reduce for a few more minutes.
- At the end, stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
- Plate the pasta in a deep dish and grate thin shavings of bottarga on top.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
What is bottarga?
Bottarga is a Mediterranean delicacy made from salted, pressed, and dried fish roe, most commonly from grey mullet or tuna. It is sometimes referred to as “Mediterranean caviar” because of its rich, savory, and slightly briny flavor.
It has a firm, sliceable texture and is typically used in very small amounts due to its intense taste. Bottarga is usually shaved or grated over dishes such as pasta, salads, eggs, or seafood to add a deep umami richness.
Photography: Puxan Photo • Culinary execution: Renaud Ramamourty