Squid Ink Tagliolini with...Squid Ink Tagliolini with Sea Urchin, Bergamot, and Bronte Pistachios

An elegant Venetian-inspired pasta dish featuring delicate squid ink tagliolini tossed in a rich, buttery sea urchin emulsion, brightened with fresh calabrian bergamot zest and finished with toasted Sicilian pistachios.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, in a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the chopped Bronte pistachios until fragrant (about 2-3 minutes), then set aside to cool.

2. 02

   In a small blender, combine 100g of the fresh sea urchin with 50g of softened unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon of fresh bergamot juice. Blend until a completely smooth, luxurious emulsion is formed. Set aside at room temperature; reserve the remaining whole sea urchin lobes for garnish.

3. 03

   In a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, warm the extra virgin olive oil and sweat the minced shallot with a pinch of salt until translucent and sweet, about 4 minutes, ensuring it does not take on any color.

4. 04

   Pour the dry white wine into the pan with the shallots, increase the heat to medium-high, and reduce the liquid by half, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting.

5. 05

   Drop the fresh squid ink tagliolini into the boiling water. Cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes until just al dente. Reserve 240ml (1 cup) of starchy pasta water, then drain the pasta.

6. 06

   Transfer the drained pasta directly to the sauté pan. Pull the pan completely off the heat. Add the sea urchin emulsion and the remaining 30g of cold, cubed butter. Toss and stir vigorously, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water, to create a highly glossy, creamy sauce that clings perfectly to the pasta.

7. 07

   Gently fold in the snipped chives, Espelette pepper, and half of the bergamot zest. Taste and adjust seasoning with flaky sea salt if necessary.

8. 08

   Twirl the tagliolini into tight nests using a carving fork and spoon, and present them in the center of warm, shallow bowls. Garnish each plate with the remaining whole sea urchin lobes, a scatter of toasted pistachios, the remaining bergamot zest, and a final delicate drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.