Presbyopia Surgically

Pasta with roe

There are moments of difficulty. That sometimes, Ugh, turn in times of difficulty. Then usually pass. But Sometimes, despite the hopes and the commitment to get out, can fester in times of difficulty which, if repeated, and dangerously close together, can transcend a difficult life. I do not know but I can venture that quantify ten / fifteen years continuously difficult to be a boundary beyond which it begins to define it. And as I do not know who said, "you can not be unhappy with impunity." The punishment you get sick.

said, explaining that somehow my absence, I would like to tell you about one of the things I like most in the world: the roe. The mullet roe, in particular. In the category "fish eggs", which I like indiscriminately, with the exception of sea urchin eggs - but it does not think you can define a fish, even if it is a sea creature - the mullet maybe I like even more of caviar. Oh, maybe. Anyway.

The roe deserves absolute respect. I know that I speak of the obvious, and in fact this is an obvious recipe, but I often read recipes in which it appears sautéed on the stove as if it were a Seasonings any work. And it makes me sad.

Why a paste with the mullet is a feast for the senses, and not a fish paste known vaguely sweet and / or the rules are two bitter, and really simple: 1) the roe must be fresh and whole. No, no, no to sad containers of grated stuff. 2) the roe is not cooked. Cooking the kill, without remedy. Be good, do it for me, do not mix the vegetables, the roe. Keep it away from fire.

So then each one has its own recipe for pasta with roe, and all are good if they follow these two rules. I have mine to do: I

• Trenette, or big spaghetti or egg noodles.
• Sardinian mullet roe, fresh, clear, orange and whole.
• tasty olive oil, of supreme quality
• Black pepper
• Parsley
• A lemon

Boil the water. Where the dough in the bowl condirò put plenty of olive oil - I'm lucky when the new one that comes from Poggione : fruity but rare balance.

Spello, crush and add a clove of garlic. I put the bowl over the pot of water boiling, so that the oil is cool and spice. We grind of black pepper. Add some grated lemon peel, made with coarse Microplane, the fillets so that they remain perceptible to the tooth. With the same Microplane grater the roe (and keep aside). Chopped parsley non troppo fine, a volte lo sforbicio solo.

Quando la pasta è pronta, tolgo l'aglio dal condimento, prelevo un mestolino di acqua di cottura ed emulsiono bene, aggiungo la bottarga. Condisco rapidamente la pasta nella zuppiera, mescolando bene, rifinisco con il prezzemolo.

Certe volte metto anche qualche goccia di limone inseme al condimento, e certe altre anche due pomodori secchi, ammorbiditi e tritati grossolanamente. 

La mangio benedicendo questa piccola mummia che riposa in frigo, pronta a resuscitare quando ho bisogno di lei. In tempi felici, era la cena extra a notte fonda, la perfetta cena della felicità, dopo il tango o dopo... be 'short, late at night.

(Of course this post is a lure, put there to stimuli subliminally in a couple of friends (in case two ) the inexplicable but irresistible impulse to present at my door with a small supply of fresh roe.)