Bucatini Alla Bottarga Recipe
PEI mussels, bottarga, garlic, olive oil, thyme
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Ingredients
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Pasta & sauce base
Mussels & bottarga
Finishing & garnish
Method
Pasta & sauce base
- 1
Bring pasta water
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil (about 4–5 quarts, salted to taste). Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water for the sauce before draining.
- 2
Cook bucatini
Add bucatini to the boiling water and cook until al dente minus 1 minute of package time (usually 8–9 minutes total depending on brand). Do not fully drain; reserve the indicated pasta water and drain the pasta when timing is reached.
- 3
Make aromatic base
While pasta water is heating, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large wide skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and minced shallot; sauté gently until fragrant and softened but not browned, about 2–3 minutes. Add thyme leaves and crushed red pepper and cook 30 seconds to release aroma.
- 4
Deglaze & reduce
Increase heat to medium-high, add white wine and scrape any browned bits from the pan. Let wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer; reduce by about one third, 3–4 minutes, to concentrate flavor.
Mussels & bottarga
- 5
Steam mussels
While the sauce reduces, in a separate large pot or deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add cleaned mussels and pour in 1/2 cup of the white wine (from the portion above) or 1/2 cup water. Cover and steam until mussels open, about 4–6 minutes. Discard any mussels that remain closed. Remove mussels from shells: reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid from the mussel pot, and remove meat from half the mussels, leaving the rest in shells for presentation if desired.
- 6
Finish sauce with mussel liquor and bottarga
Add the reserved mussel cooking liquid to the sauce pan along with the lemon juice and unsalted butter; swirl until butter melts and emulsifies into the sauce. Add grated bottarga (about 1 oz) and stir to incorporate — this will deepen the briny umami of the sauce. Season with sea salt and black pepper, tasting carefully because bottarga and mussel liquor are salty.
- 7
Combine pasta and mussels
Add the drained bucatini to the skillet with the sauce and toss over medium heat. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time (start with 1/2 cup) to loosen and coat the pasta until you reach a glossy, silky consistency, about 1–2 minutes. Fold in mussel meat (and some shelled mussel halves for presentation). If sauce seems tight, add up to another 1/2 cup pasta water.
Finishing & garnish
- 8
Add finishing touches
Remove pan from heat and stir in chopped parsley and lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed, keeping in mind bottarga adds salinity.
- 9
Plate & garnish with bottarga
Divide bucatini among 4 warm bowls. Grate remaining bottarga over each portion (use remaining 0.5 oz as thin slices or freshly grated). Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil if desired and sprinkle with optional grated cheese lightly (if using). Garnish with reserved mussels in shell for presentation.
- 10
Serve
Serve immediately while hot with extra lemon wedges on the side.