Ingredients:

• 3 oz. of Lefkas Mullet Bottarga
• 2 thick slices stale crusty Italian white bread, in chunks
• 7 T. Frescobaldi Laudemio extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 4 ½ T. minced parsley leaves
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1 lb. Rustichella d'Abruzzo chitarra or spaghetti
• 1 dried red chili
• 2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  

Method:

Place bottarga, wrapped in plastic, in the freezer. Lightly toast stale bread under broiler. Process to fine crumbs in food processor or blender. You should have about ½ cup.

Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a small skillet. Add minced garlic, and brown lightly. Add lemon zest, cook 30 seconds, and add bread crumbs and 1 tsp. parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt, add pasta, and cook until barley al dente.

While pasta cooks, heat 2 T. olive oil in a large skillet. Add chili and sliced garlic, and cook until garlic is just beginning to color.

Remove pan from heat. Remove bottarga from freezer and slice paper-thin with a mandoline or a sharp knife.

Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Pour water into skillet with chili and garlic, add drained pasta, return to medium heat, and simmer about a minute. Add remaining parsley and half the bread crumbs. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Transfer to 4 warm shallow bowls, top each with remaining bread crumbs, and scatter slices of bottarga. Serve at once