Cavatelli with bottarga and cherry tomatoes

Here’s the recipe for cavatelli with bottarga and cherry tomatoes, with an Italian twist in case you don’t have bottarga at hand. Bottarga, being a typical ingredient of Sardinia and some areas of Sicily, can be substituted with an ingredient that offers a similar sea flavor: salted anchovies. Here are therefore two versions of the same recipe, one with bottarga and the other with anchovies as an alternative.

Cavatelli with bottarga and cherry tomatoes

Ingredients

• 400 g of fresh or dry cavatelli
• 100 g of mullet or tuna roe bottarga
• 250 g of cherry tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Fresh parsley to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Chili pepper (optional)
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Bring a pot of plentiful salted water to a boil to cook the pasta.
2. In the meantime, wash and cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
3. In a large skillet, add extra virgin olive oil and garlic cloves. If desired, also add a piece of chili pepper.
4. Add the cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook over medium heat until the tomatoes have slightly softened.
5. Grate the bottarga.
6. Once the cavatelli are cooked, drain them and transfer them to the skillet with the cherry tomato sauce. Mix well.
7. Add the grated bottarga and chopped fresh parsley.
8. Adjust the salt if necessary and serve hot.

Cavatelli with anchovies and cherry tomatoes (alternative version)

Ingredients

• 400 g of fresh or dry cavatelli
• 5-6 salted anchovies
• 250 g of cherry tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Fresh parsley to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Chili pepper (optional)
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Bring a pot of plentiful salted water to a boil to cook the pasta.
2. In the meantime, wash and cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
3. In a large skillet, add extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, and previously desalted and chopped salted anchovies.
4. Sauté everything until the anchovies have melted into the oil.
5. Add the cherry tomatoes to the skillet and cook over medium heat until the tomatoes have slightly softened.
6. Once the cavatelli are cooked, drain them and transfer them into the skillet with the cherry tomato and anchovy sauce. Mix well.
7. Add chopped fresh parsley.
8. Adjust the salt if necessary and serve hot.

Both versions provide a delicious flavor and a beautiful combination of land and sea, typical of various Italian regions. And remember, the real magic is in the quality of ingredients and the heart you put into the preparation. Buon appetito!