Chef Josh DeCarolis of Mother & Sons Trattoria in Durham, North Carolina makes this dramatic pasta dish utilizing contemporary squid ink tonnarelli, although squid ink spaghetti alla chitarra and even dried squid ink spaghetti each make appropriate substitutes. In season, the chef recommends utilizing contemporary San Marzano tomatoes , however every other ripe, juicy tomatoes will do.
Home bottarga could also be ordered on-line from each Clearwater and Cortez, Florida; imported Sardinian variations can be found at well-stocked Italian grocers and on Amazon.
Featured in “Once a Coastal Carolina Staple, Mullet Roe Is Making Waves Again with Local Chefs.”
Squid Ink Pasta With Shrimp, Fennel, Tomatoes, and Bottarga Butter
A fast pasta that shines with bottarga.
Yield: serves 4
Time:
half-hour
For the bottarga butter:
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp. finely grated bottarga, plus extra for garnish
- 1–2 drops fish sauce (optionally available)
For the pasta:
- Kosher salt
- ½ lb. contemporary squid ink tonnarelli
- ¼ cups extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (2 cups)
- 1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped (1 cup)
- 3 medium garlic cloves, sliced (1 Tbsp.)
- 3 medium plum tomatoes, finely chopped (2 cups)
- 3 oz. peeled and deveined shrimp, lower in ½-in. items (½ cup)
- ½ cups thinly sliced scallions
- 1 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
- 3 tbsp. contemporary lemon juice
Directions
- Make the bottarga butter: In a small bowl, combine collectively the softened butter, bottarga, and the fish sauce. Put aside when you cook dinner the pasta.
- Fill a big pot midway with water, and convey to a boil over medium-high warmth. Evenly salt the water, then add the tonarelli and cook dinner, stirring regularly, till simply al dente, round 4 minutes for contemporary pasta or 8 minutes for dried. Drain, discarding the cooking liquid, then return the pasta to the pot and put aside.
- In the meantime, to a big skillet set over medium-high warmth, add a ¼ cup of the olive oil. As soon as scorching, add the fennel, onion, and garlic and cook dinner, stirring regularly, till the onion and fennel are tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and proceed cooking, stirring sometimes, till the juices have concentrated and thickened barely, 1–2 minutes. Stir within the shrimp and three tablespoons of water and cook dinner, stirring sometimes, till the shrimp is cooked by means of, about 1 minute. Decrease the warmth to medium, then stir within the reserved pasta, utilizing tongs to toss the noodles gently till the pasta is heated by means of, about 1 minute. Take away from the warmth, then add the entire reserved bottarga butter, and the lemon zest and juice. Toss properly till the butter has melted and the pasta is evenly coated within the silky sauce, about 1 minute. Divide the tonarelli amongst 4 broad pasta bowls, spooning any of the remaining greens and shrimp excessive. End with sliced scallions, drizzle with olive oil, garnish with freshly grated bottarga, and serve scorching.
