Perciatelli with Mahimahi and Bottarga
Region: Italy
Category: Pasta with Fish
Season: Any
Difficulty: Easy

This is a great recipe to try out some bottarga that you may have bought for the first time.  Bottarga is dried, salted, and pressed tuna or gray mullet roe typically found in the cooking of Sardinia and Sicily.  It can be found in Italian markets and on the Internet.  It will provide a substantial plate so you might want to serve this dish as a piatto unico, or one-plate meal.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 8 servings
Preparation Time: 45 minutes

7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

1 large shallot, about the size of a small onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

2 ripe tomatoes, cut in half, seeds squeezed out, and grated against the largest holes of a grater

3 tablespoons freshly grated bottarga

1 1/4 pound mahimahi, cut into bite-size pieces

1 1/2 pounds perciatelli (bucatini)

1. In a ceramic dish, marinate the fish in 3 tablespoons olive oil and the white wine and season with salt and pepper.  Leave in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.  Then drain and save the marinade.

2.  In a flameproof casserole, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat with the garlic cloves and when they begin to turn light brown, remove and discard.  Cook the shallot and parsley until the shallot is translucent, stirring, about 4 minutes.  Add the tomato, bottarga, and season with salt and black pepper.  Stir and cook until it starts sizzling rapidly.  Reduce the heat to low, add the marinade, stir, and simmer until a bit denser, about 20 minutes.  Increase the heat to high and add the fish, cook until the fish is about to break up, stirring, about 8 minutes.  Check the seasoning.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt abundantly then cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.  Drain without rinsing. Transfer the pasta to the casserole and toss with the sauce and serve.

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Posted: 12/17/2006