Spaghetti ai Ricci di Mare
Sea urchin is amazing. It has a creamy briney quality about it that is very unique. You either love it or you hate it, but if you haven’t tried it before, give it a whirl. I order it every time I get sushi (“uni” in Japanese), but one of my favorite ways of having it is in a pasta. Spaghetti ai Ricci di Mare is pure indulgence with sea urchin mixed into the sauce AND on top of the pasta. Oh, if you have some spare caviar, sprinkle some on the dish too.
Ingredients:
1 pound boxed spaghetti
8 ounce unsweetened mascarpone cheese (room temperature)
4 ounces fresh sea urchin, divided (3 ounces for sauce, 1 ounce for serving)
1/2 cup chopped onions
10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Calabrian chili paste
1/2 cup dry white wine (like a pinot grigio)
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup chopped chives (for garnish)
Optional: caviar (for garnish)
Steps:
In a food processor, add in the mascarpone cheese and 3 ounces of sea urchin. Blend until well combined, and you have a pale yellow cheese. Set aside.
In a large sauté pan, heat up EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the onions and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 - 5 minutes until softened. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute (do not burn). Add in the Calabrian chili pasta and cook for another minute. Add in the white wine and cook until most of the wine evaporates (leaving about a couple tablespoons of liquid). Reduce heat to low, while you cook the pasta.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Drop in your spaghetti, and cook until al dente. Drain, but reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water.
Add pasta to the sauté pan. Toss until the noodles are covered in the EVOO mixture. Add in the uni-mascarpone cheese mixture to the pasta and toss until creamy. If you need to loosen, use the reserved pasta water.
To serve, add the pasta to your serving plate. Sprinkle with chopped chives, and top with optional caviar. Pairs well with the white wine you just opened!
