#Recipe idea and story…
I’m a lucky son of a gun. People bring me food gifts from all over the world.
Today I share this dish thanks to my friends and regulars at the Salumi Counter PJ & Joe. On their return from Sicily they brought me Sicilian Bottarga and Capers. The Caviar of Sicily, Bottarga, is Tuna roe that has been salted and cured. It has a beautiful pungent salty flavour(think an elegant anchovy) and tons of Unami.
I mistook it at first for being Grey Mullet roe which is how they make it in Sardinia. You grate it on pasta like you would with cheese. The Capers are the flower buds of the wild Cappinosa Spinosa bush. They are packed in sea salt, not brined, and have an amazing depth of flavour. First the ingredients: Endive, Bottarga (you can sub anchovies), Capers, garlic, pepperoncinni, olive oil, lemon, salt & pasta.
Cooking Steps:
Wash your endives and leave damp.
Boil and salt your pasta water. Heat a heavy bottomed fry pan. Add oil and a small pinch of salt.
Add minced garlic and pepperoncinni (also anchovies here if your using them instead.) Add your pasta to the boiling water.
Just as garlic starts to brown add your endive and Capers, and cook until greens are very tender. Remove from heat.
Just before your pasta is ready add 1/3 a ladle of the pasta water to your endive pan and return it to a medium heat.
Drain the pasta just before it has reached Al Dente and toss it into your endive pan.
Add a touch of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and toss (or mix) until pasta is Al Dente.
Everything should have a glossy coating but no pool of oil or water in the pan.
Plate it, & finish with an extra drizzle of olive oil(Sicilian if you have it) & another shot of lemon juice. Then grate the Bottarga on top just like you would cheese. Taste to see if you need a pinch of salt and serve it!
Have it with a nice glass of crisp Italian white wine Bellos & Bellas & always #EatwiththoseyouLove