A luxurious yet simple pasta dish featuring delicate sea urchin roe paired with fresh zucchini, red pepper, and garlic. Chef Massimo Mele’s spaghetti is elevated by the fresh flavours of the sea, finished with fresh parsley and a hint of lemon.
Spaghetti with Sea Urchin
Prep time :
5 minutes
Cook time :
10 minutes
Serves :
4
Total Time :
15 minutes
Spaghetti with Sea Urchin
Ingredients
- 500g fresh or dried spaghetti
- Salt, for boiling water
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 cup zucchini, thinly sliced (small zucchini preferred)
- ½ red pepper, thinly sliced
- 100g sea urchin roe, cleaned
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- Juice of 1 lemon (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chilli flakes, to serve
Method
Cook Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving about 100ml of pasta water.
Sauté Vegetables:
- Heat olive oil in a large deep pan. Add garlic, zucchini, red pepper, and parsley stalks; cook for 2 minutes until vegetables soften.
Combine Pasta and Sauce:
- Add cooked spaghetti and reserved pasta water to the pan. Stir gently while moving the pan to create an olive oil emulsion and let the pasta soak up the sauce.
Add Sea Urchin:
- Gently fold in sea urchin roe. Remove from heat and finish with chopped parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice if using, and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve:
- Plate pasta and sprinkle with chilli flakes to taste.
Chef’s Tip
Use fresh sea urchin for the best flavour. Keep the lemon optional so the delicate sea urchin taste can shine through.
