Artichoke Hearts with Bottarga

"So you made pizza with zucchini and what?" This is what I asked my brother when he told me to check  out his pizza on My Monday Pie.  Zucchini and bottarga.  "What's bottarga again?  A new and trendy, terrain-specific vegetable like say ramps?" Nope. Cured mullet roe.

I have since sampled this pie and it was very good.  It left me bottarga intrigued.  What else can I pair it with?  Where can I get it?  And why have I gone so long without it?  

Then one lazy evening I am watching Anthony Bourdain on No Reservations on Netflix and he is traveling in Sardinia.  His beautiful wife is describing the dynamic flavor combination of artichokes and bottarga in her lovely Italian accent. The next thing I know I am surfing the internet, planning my next shopping trip around where I can get bottarga.

As mentioned, bottarga is the roe removed from the inside of a fish, in this case mullet, though sometimes tuna, cured, dried and grated over a dish for flavor much like you would Parmesan.  Also like Parmesan, you can buy it whole and grate it yourself right before serving or buy it already grated. 

I may have mentioned this before but Buon'Italia is my go-to Italian market of choice in NYC.  I love  Chelsea Market and this is a wonderful time of year to walk the High Line.   There is always the famous Eataly but Buon'Italia is less of a circus show and more reasonably priced.  And have I mentioned the High Line?  

I may have gotten carried away here with the pictures, but artichokes are beautiful and so is Manhattan.

Artichoke Hearts with Bottarga

• 6 artichokes
• 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• sea salt
• 1 tablespoon of grated bottarga
• chopped fresh parsley
• butter

To trim your artichokes, remove the outer leaves until they start to become yellow and tender.  The heart will be cone-shaped.  Cut the hearts in halves or quarters.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.   In an oven-proof baking dish, toss with the artichoke hearts with the olive oil and parsley.   Add a few teaspoons of water to the bottom of the baking dish.  Grease a piece of parchment paper with butter and   place butter side down over the artichokes.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Toss with freshly squeezed lemon, sea salt and grated bottarga.

Simple Spaghetti Pie

So I have been practicing this one.  It looks good going in the pan but it is a tricky thing to turn it over.  Do I use a spatula?  Should I cover the pan with a plate, carefully turn it over and then return it to the pan?  Or do I make the gutsy choice of flipping and risk egg and spaghetti all over my kitchen?

Oh yeah,  I went for it.  Let me tell you I am proud of myself.  I shook the pan a little back and forth like marathon runner rocking to gain momentum before bolting forward.  I hurled this spaghetti upward and let go, fully prepared to have egg on my face, (pun intended).  But no, a split second later, there it was in one piece and showing me its underside.  Damn, no one there to see it.

I am talking about Spaghetti Pie, or at least that is what we call it in English.  I have heard it called by more than one name in Italian and I think that is depending on geographically where the one cooking it is from.  I remember it fondly as what we brought on picnics when I was growing up and it was always made out of our leftover spaghetti.

Thinking of trying this at home?  In the vein of full disclosure, this was not my first try.  I have tried flipping it with a spatula, a dinner plate and yes I have gotten egg all over my stove.  Here's what I learned:  it is all about your spaghetti/egg/cheese ratio. Three eggs to a pound of pasta isn't going to do it.  The best result I have gotten was when I thought I added way too much egg and cheese.  The pictures below show a simple version using some plain leftover spaghetti.  The spaghetti does not have to be plain.  That's like saying all ice cream should be vanilla.  It doesn't even have to be spaghetti for that matter.   One of may favorite versions of this dish was made by a cousin of mine from a leftover pasta salad with salmon (Thanks Clara!).  Just make sure you have plenty of egg and cheese and then you can flip it any way you like.

Simple Spaghetti Pie

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
• 1/4 of a pound cooked pasta (about a bowlful)
• freshly chopped basil of parsley (optional)
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil

Beat the eggs cheese in a medium bowl with a fork or a wire whisk.  Add salt, pepper and chopped herbs if you choose to add them.  Add spaghetti to the eggs and cheese.  Heat your olive oil over medium high heat.  Remember you don't want you olive oil to get to a smoking point.  When I tip my pan and the oil runs like water it is hot enough.  Add your egg, cheese and spaghetti mixture and cook until the underside is set.  You may need to lower the heat so your egg doesn't get too brown.  When the bottom is fully cooked, cover with a dinner plate and turn your pan over with both hands (don't forget you oven mitt!) then slide back into the pan.  Or flip it in the air if you are feeling brave!  Cook until the bottom is set.  You can check the center with a fork.  If the center is dry, its done.