Pasta with tuna, anchovies, and bottarga

Pasta with tuna, anchovies, and bottarga is a dish full of sea flavors, perfect for a dinner that tastes of the Mediterranean. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 320 g of pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini work well)
• 200 g of canned tuna, drained
• 6 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
• 1 tablespoon of bottarga, grated or in flakes
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Chili pepper to taste (optional)
• Fresh chopped parsley, to taste
• Salt, as needed

Preparation

1. Put plenty of salted water in a pot and bring it to a boil to cook the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic cloves to flavor the oil. Let them slightly brown and then remove them.
3. Add the anchovy fillets to the oil and crush them with a wooden spoon to dissolve and create a sort of paste.
4. Add the drained tuna and flake it with the spoon, letting it flavor for a few minutes, being careful not to dry it out too much.
5. If you wish for a spicy touch, add the chili pepper at this point.
6. Drain the pasta when it’s al dente and transfer it to the skillet with the tuna and anchovy sauce, adding a bit of the cooking water if necessary to blend everything together.
7. Plate the pasta and sprinkle with grated bottarga and chopped fresh parsley. If necessary, adjust with salt, but remember that the bottarga and anchovies are already flavorful.

Curiosity

Bottarga, considered the caviar of the Mediterranean, is a typical product of some Italian coastal areas, particularly Sardinia and Sicily. It is made by salting and drying the roe of grey mullet or tuna, and it gives dishes an intense and characteristic sea flavor.

Enjoy this dish that encapsulates the essence of the sea in pasta!