Recipe - Bruschetta con Bottarga e Pesto Trapanese

Two Trapanese staples combine

This is a super simple recipe that I always thought my mother had invented by combining two very traditional staples of western Sicily: Pesto Trapanese and Bottarga (cured tuna roe).
Since then I discovered that it is something served in many restaurants in Trapani, so I guess it is a common enough way to eat these beautiful ingredients together.

Bottarga works best when combined in recipes with other ingredients that tone down and complement its saltiness and fishiness, and pesto trapanese here counterbalances the sea flavours with aromatic garlic and tomato power, and the result is a combination that has intense umami.

If you can get your hands on a fresh piece of tuna bottarga you should start here, you will not regret it! Bear in mind that the most common kind of Bottarga available is the Sardinian version, made from mullet. It has a quite different texture and flavour but it will probably work fine for this recipe too.

A piece of tuna bottarga

Ingredients

Serves 4

4 slices of sourdough bread (or other country style bread)

4 tbsp of pesto trapanese (for the recipe see here)

4 tbsp of fresh tuna bottarga, finely chopped or grated)

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Method

1. Toast the bread slices in a toaster or under the grill of the oven until they are crunchy but still soft in the middle.

2. Spread a layer of pesto trapanese on each slice.

3. Arrange the bottarga on each slice and drizzle some oil to taste.

Assemble this right before eating as with every form of bruschetta

Enjoy this incredibly delicious treat