Lorighittas, Sardinian braided pasta with clams and bottarga
Lorighittas with clams and mullet bottarga are the first dish that chef Christian Dassu prepared for our summer lunch in Sardinia.
- 1 kg of clams
- 350g lorighittas (pasta sold in Sardinian specialty shops and online)
- 150 g whole mullet bottarga
- 100 g shallots
- 50 g garlic
- parsley
- basil
- extra virgin olive oil
- Grate the bottarga.
- Sauté 1 unpeeled garlic clove in a drizzle of oil, along with the halved shallot and a few parsley stalks. Add the clams and deglaze with 1-2 cups of water.
- Cook covered for 5-6 minutes.
- Shell the clams in their cooking water, remove them, and set aside; strain the liquid through a cheesecloth-lined sieve.
- Blend 40 g of bottarga with 500 g of hot clam water and 40 g of oil until emulsified. Cook the lorighittas al dente in boiling unsalted water, then stir in a pan over high heat with 2-3 ladles of clam and bottarga emulsion for another 2 minutes. Finally, add the reserved mollusks.
- Garnish with bottarga flakes and basil leaves, then serve.
What are lorighittas?
Lorighittas are a type of hand-woven pasta typical of the Sardinian region, particularly Morgongiori, in the province of Oristano, and are seasoned with clams and flaked mullet bottarga.
In love with his homeland, Christian Dassu is chef at Frades restaurant in Porto Cervo and Milan, alongside Roberto Paddeu. After completing hotel management school, he gained experience at various fine dining restaurants in Sardinia, before moving to Milan, where he lives for six months a year. Passionate about his homeland's ingredients, he loves cooking fish and fregula, which he prepares in a variety of ways. He began cooking as a child, following the example of his mother Teresa, his muse.
Also discover the chef's light Bosana-style turbot in garlic sauce and these recipes: