Ingredients for 4 people:
- half kg. of clams
- 400 g. of spaghetti
- 50 g. of botargo
- a clove of garlic
- 2 chillies
- a small glass of soft grappa or brandy
- parsley
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Preparation:
The recipe for Spaghetti with clams and bottarga is a typical dish of Mediterranean cuisine. Bottarga is a versatile and precious ingredient that gives an intense flavor to fish dishes and is often used to enrich salads and appetizers, but it is excellent for seasoning first courses like this.
It takes some time to prepare, but the final result is a tasty and refined dish, perfect for a lunch or dinner with friends.
A good preparation and the quality of the ingredients is essential for the success of this dish, therefore use only fresh clams.
Start by preparing the clams by cooking them slightly over low heat in a saucepan until they open. Once opened, collect and filter the cooking liquid and set it aside for further seasoning. Separate the shells of the clams and remove half of them to make the consumption and the taste experience more pleasant.
In another fairly large saucepan with a thick bottom and a lid, sauté the garlic and chilli pepper with a little extra virgin olive oil. Subsequently, all the ingredients will be cooked in this pan. Add the clams and let the glass of grappa or brandy evaporate, then cook them briefly so that they absorb the flavors of the other ingredients. Pour in the filtered cooking liquid from the clams and bring to the boil. Adjust the salt taking into account the flavor of the clams. In the meantime, cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water. Quickly drain them a few minutes before the time indicated on the package to pour them dripping into the pan. Sauté them in the clam sauce for a few minutes, letting them absorb the liquid and completing the cooking al dente.
At the end of cooking, add plenty of sliced and grated bottarga, sprinkle with the finely chopped fresh parsley and mix well. Serve the spaghetti with clams and bottarga still piping hot, decorating with the clams. Accompany this delicious dish with a very fresh and fragrant white wine, such as a Vermentino di Gallura or a Greco di Tufo, to enhance the marine fragrances of the dish.
Enjoy these delicious spaghetti with clams and bottarga for one of the most precious culinary experiences.
Enjoy your meal!