Sagne Torte
Bottarga, Lemon, Olive Oil
Sagne torte is a pasta entirely unique to the Puglia region of Italy. Unlike most other pasta shapes, this one really never took off anywhere else and so it remains a constant to the region. While the twisted and undulating shape is what makes it interesting, the pomodoro ricotta sauce that it usually is paired up with is anything but.
Since this shape was so distinctive, I wanted to pair it with another ingredient that was special in it’s own right. Bottarga, which is a dried mullet or bluefin tuna roe, is used in dishes all over Italy. And it’s an important ingredient because it can bring the flavors of the sea to some of the most landlocked areas within the country. Instead of using it as a finish to a dish, this wildly simple recipe was about highlighting this golden product for all its funk and salinity. Bottarga can be an acquired taste, but this recipe isn’t about dipping your toes in the water, it’s about doing a cannonball into the delicious world of dried fish eggs.
Servings: 4 - Time: ~20 mins - Difficulty: 1 - Itsa Easy
Ingredients & Mise en Place
17.6 oz. sagne torte
1 oz. bottarga - powder or whole grated
1 lemon - zested and quartered
extra virgin olive oil - use the absolute best of the liquid gold that you can
sea salt
pepper
Directions
Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente - roughly 10-12 minutes. But check your pasta frequently since the timing was a little off from the suggestion.
Once the pasta has cooked, strain it and add it to a deep sauté pan. Add half the bottarga, half lemon zest, and half the lemon juice with about 1/2 cup of olive oil. Mix until incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Divide into four portions and sprinkle with remaining bottarga and zest. Serve with lemons as needed.
Note:
Good olive oil is important to have for finishing dishes and for good salads. So make sure you have a good olive oil on hand. I’ve been using Frankies Spuntino Green Gold and it’s been a great olive oil without needing the funds of a small country to buy it. Just use something nicer than what you would fry up some peppers with.