Maccheroni alla Chitarra and Bottarga
I tasted this pasta for the first time at Babbo, one of Mario Batali's restaurants in New York City. I absolutely loved it and had to try to make it myself. Luckily, I didn't have to figure out the recipe - Mario published the recipe in his "Babbo" Cookbook (this recipe alone was well worth the cost of the book). What I love most about this dish is the slight spiciness of the habanero and the sweet brininess of the bottarga mixed with the roasted tomatoes and simple red sauce. I haven't been able to find bottarga in the DC area but I did find some at Eataly, Mario Batali's Italian Superstore in New York City. If you can't find bottarga, I would just leave the ingredient out rather than adding a substitute. This dish is very simple to make and the recipe is right on point. I was quite pleased with how much my version tasted like the maccheroni alla chitarra and bottarga I had at Babbo.
Adapted from Mario Batali, The Babbo Cookbook
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 habanero chili, seeded and thinly sliced (or you can substitute red pepper flakes)
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 cup oven-roasted tomatoes
- 1/4 cup simple red sauce
- 1 pound maccheroni alla chitarra or spaghettini
- 1/4 cup whole flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- Bottarga (pressed red mullet or tuna roe) shaved or finely grated - or substitute any caviar
Comments
Thank you for posting! I have
Is bottarga something I can
You can buy it online at
Add new comment