Spaghetti ai Ricci di MareSpaghetti with Sea Urchin

Divide the sea urchin for sauce and finishing

• 1 Divide 200 g raw sea urchin roe into 120 g for finishing and 80 g for the sauce.
• 2 Gently mash the 80 g sauce portion with a fork into a paste and leave at room temperature; do not use it straight from the refrigerator.

Cook the spaghetti and reserve cooking water

• 1 Put 2 L water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
• 2 Once boiling, add 20 g salt and cook 320 g spaghetti for 2 minutes less than the package time.
• 3 Reserve 2 ladlefuls of cooking water, about 150 ml.

Infuse the oil with garlic

• 1 Put 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, about 80 ml, and 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves in a frying pan, with 1 chili if desired. Heat gently for 3–4 minutes to release their aroma.
• 2 Remove the garlic when lightly colored.

Cook off the wine’s alcohol

• 1 Add 50 ml white wine, raise the heat to medium and cook for 1–2 minutes until the alcohol evaporates; it is ready when the smell of alcohol around the pan has disappeared.

Emulsify and incorporate the sea urchin paste

• 1 Add 4 tbsp cooking water, about 60 ml, emulsify with the oil and turn off the heat.
• 2 Check that the pan has cooled before adding the sea urchin paste for the sauce, and blend it in using the residual heat.

Toss the pasta with the sauce

• 1 Transfer the al dente spaghetti to the frying pan and toss quickly with tongs, within 30 seconds.
• 2 Adjust the consistency by adding cooking water 1 tbsp at a time.

Finish with raw sea urchin and serve

• 1 Plate the pasta and place the 120 g finishing portion of raw sea urchin on top as it is.
• 2 Scatter finely chopped flat-leaf parsley over the plate, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately; the sea urchin aroma fades with time.