Today, I wish to share a dish that uses an ingredient that’s been harvested, salt-cured and enjoyed since Byzantine times. I find it amusing when some people try to predict food trends and declare a certain ingredient as “passe” when the cuisine and ingredient itself have survived the ages.
What is “Avgotaraho”? We’re talking about the sacs of roe that are harvested in Greece from the flat-head mullet (not to be confused with the red mullet). The Italians call this ingredient “Bottarga”, it figures prominent in Sicilian and Sardinian regional cuisine and you’ll likely find it labeled in finer food shops as “Bottarga”. The Japanese also enjoy their own version called, “Karasumi”.
Avgotaraho come from the Byzantine word, “outarahon”, a compound word for eggs and pickled fish. In Greece the mullet fish is culled from the large inland lagoon of Messolonghi. These waters are very shallow and Messonlonghi is also where the mullet go to spawn. This large lagoon is also ideal for the production of sea salt. Much of Greece’s sea salt comes from the Messolonghi.
After the mullet is caught, the twin sacs of roe are carefully removed by the fishermen and then they are left to rest covered in sea salt for a few hours. The roe has firmed up by this time and then they are rinsed in water and then placed in the hot, Greek sun for a final curing. The segments of roe will shrink by half and then they will be ready for the final step before the Avgotaraho reaches the consumer.
The Avgotaraho is then dipped in natural bees wax that forms a protective coating and offers the product a long shelf-life. After purchasing some Avgotaraho, the wax is removed and one can either thinly slice it like truffles or pass it through the fine side of your box grater. This briny delicacy can be served as part of a canape/appetizer on some thin crostinis or tossed in some thin pasta like spaghettini or spaghetti.
Think about the process of making Avgotaraho: nothing gets wasted from the fish, sea salt that’s harvested from the same waters that the mullet swam in are used and, beeswax (from anyone of the local Greek apiaries) are used to preserve this delicacy. The process of fishing, curing, drying and preserving Avgotaraho is a testimonial to the resourcefulness of Greek cuisine.
The Avgotaraho of Messolonghi is also a European and Greek protected desgination of orgin.
This delicacy is not cheap but it’s not like you’re going to use it in one sitting. A little goes a long way, as it’s concentrated, rich flavour will be a delight when you try on a crostini or like here, tossed in spaghetti.
The avgotaraho for this dish came to me courtesy of a reader of this blog and food enthusiast, Steve Courmanopoulos. Steve resides in Montreal and you may read and enjoy his thoughts at his blog, Kafeneio. I wish thank Steve for his generous and thoughtful gift and I dedicate this dish to him.
Avgotaraho Tossed in Pasta, Lemon Zest and Pistachios
(serves 4)
1 500gr. pkge of spaghetti
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lime
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup of finely chopped unsalted pistachios
1/2 cup coarse bread crumbs (I make my own)
1/2 cup Greek extra-virgin oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup of grated Avgotarago +
some thinly-sliced Avgotaraho for garnish
fresh ground black pepper
- Place a large pot of water on your stovetop and bring to a boil. Add a good amount of salt and cooking to “al-dente” according to package instructions.
- In the meantime, place a skillet over medium heat and add your minced garlic and allow its flavour to infuse the oil for 2-3 minutes, Now add your breadcrumbs and chopped pistachios and stir with a wooden spoon constantly. Keep stirring until the breadcrumbs toast-up and most of the oil is absorbed. Add some more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too wet.
- Now add the lemon and lime zest and the chopped fresh parsley, stir to incorporate and reserve.
- Carefully remove about an inch of wax from around the Avgotaraho. Grate finely with your box grater. If you need more Avgotaraho, remove some more wax and grate some more. Thinly slice some Avgotaraho to top each serving of pasta.
- Wrap your remaining Avgotaraho well with plastic wrap and then wrap well with aluminum foil. Store in your fridge for future use.
- When your pasta is cooked, drain well and add back in your pot. Add the breadcrumb mixture plus half your grated Avgotaraho, lemon juice and toss to coat the pasta well. Divide the pasta and plate. Drizzle with some extra-virgin olive oil, some fresh ground pepper and sprinkle the remaining grated Avgotaraho over each serving of pasta.
- Serve with a Robola Melanbus white from the nearby island of Keffalonia.
If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at https://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2010 Peter Minakis
29 Responses
This looks divine, Peter! Such gorgeous colors! I agree, foods like this can never be called passe!
At first glance it looked like Spaghetti Carbonara. :) I agree with Jenn, the colours are amazing! Thanks for sharing.
See now — I totally learned something today.
Love the colors in this dish… and I’m envisioning the salty, cured flavor along with the pistachio and citrus zest. Oh, wow!
Peter την επόμενη φοÏά που θα επισκεφτώ τη σελίδα σου θα Ï€ÏÎπει Ï€Ïώτα να Îχω φάει. βλÎποντας όλες αυτÎÏ‚ τις Ï…Ï€ÎÏοχες εικόνες και τις συνταγÎÏ‚ σου πεινάω πολÏ!!
ΧαιÏετισμοÏÏ‚ από Ελλάδα!!!
ΤΈΛΕΙΟ, στείλε μεÏιδοÏλα
Yeah this is indeed a new indridient for me. I didn’t evneknow there was something like this.
Is that white aorund it salt.
Hell Peter, that must be one of the most intriguing and delicious things I have ever seen. Wow, I can imagine the flavor it imparts to the pasta!!!
I’m intrigued…and want some! It really looks deliciously inviting!
So interesting, I always learn something when I visit you! And preserved in beeswax too, how neat.
Like everyone else has said, the colours are amazing. I’ve never tried this and am curious about the taste. Thanks for sharing another new ingredient!
Looks even better than my version! We are addicted to the stuff and make it weekly. I’d make it more often but The Kommandant would lose it as she usually does when I overdo things.
Avgotaraho is such a great delicacy and your appetizer and pasta dish are making me drool early in the morning.
How cool! Never heard of avgotaharo before. Looks like the fruits de mer version of truffles. I like what you did with the pasta and canapes. Go on with your bad self!
now i am craving for a bit of avgotaraho – i ahve tried to buy it here in hania, but to no avail (yet we bought it regularly in nz two decades ago!)
I love the pasta version. I have never seen that before. Great!
It all looks amazing! Nothing better then using ingredients that have survived the ages in new and exciting ways. In my opinion, nothing is passe if we enjoy it.
Great idea to incorporate this in a plate of spaghetti; love the combo of lemon and lime rinds and the added pistachios! Now this could be considered very “haute cuisine grecque!”
I need to find some of this, I can only imagine I’d love it!
I may have to change my ‘last meal on earth’ wish. I want me some Avgotaraho!! It sounds so interesting and, of course, tasty. I like your preparation here, especially the addition of pistachios.
the zest, the nuts, the avgotaraho–what an incredible plate o’ pasta. this is most appealing, peter.
It never ceases to amaze me how much I can learn from blogging each and every day. The day I stop learning is the day my blog will end. Thank you for this introduction to this delicacy Peter.
it’s fabulous stuff, huh? i’m so glad i was introduced to it and now i don’t ever want it out of my life! you’re so right about enjoying it thinly sliced as you would do w/ truffles!
I could really use one of those canapes right now … my stomach is rumbling and this has only made it worse! Great post Peter, loved reading about avgotaraho as it can definitely use more culinary attention!
Lovely bottarga dish, Peter! And hey – in terms of the food trends quip, at least I know you read our blog ;)
I’ve been wanting to try bottarga for the longest time. I’m glad to learn the Greek name for it too. Your pasta looks fantastic!
Very nice!!