Restaurant (Re)creation: La Ciccia's Spaghetti with Bottarga

La Ciccia is a cozy little Sardinian gem in Noe Valley.  Though it may appear unassuming from the outside, the food will blow you away.  Reservations at La Ciccia are highly coveted and tricky to get, so try for an early or late dinner on a weekday.   If you do have the luck of snagging a resie, you absolutely must get the spaghetti with bottarga.  I was skeptical at first since the thought of salted mullet roe on pasta didn't really appeal to me, but it surprisingly doesn't taste fishy in the slightest.  It actually just adds a unique, salty, and creamy dimension to the spaghetti.  After my first bite, I decided this definitely needed to be added to my (re)creation list.  The most difficult part of making this dish is procuring the bottarga.  I went to numerous gourmet and specialty stores and struck out.  I ended up finding it online, but if you live in San Francisco, you may be able to find it at Lucca in the Marina or at Bi-Rite in the Mission.  Once you get your hands on the bottarga, the rest is a breeze.  Credits go to La Ciccia for sharing this DELICIOUS treat!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp bottarga (grey mullet roe)
• 1 lb spaghetti
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 bunch italian parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp red pepper, crushed
• salt

Directions:

-Fill a medium pot with water and a sprinkle of salt.
-Bring to a boil and add the spaghetti.
-In a small saucepan, sauté the garlic and crushed red pepper in olive oil over low heat.
-Once the garlic is fragrant, stir in half of the bottarga, and remove from heat.
-When the pasta is cooked al dente, strain, and then add the pasta to the saucepan.
-Mix in the rest of the bottarga with the pasta and sprinkle with parsley.
-Enjoy immediately with a generous glass of Vermentino.

La Ciccia
291 30th St.
San Francisco, CA
(415) 550-8114
www.laciccia.com

Flavors of The Month- January

This is the first edition of many more monthly favorites lists, otherwise known as "Flavors of the Month."  Please email me with suggestions if you come across anything that YOU LOVE and quite possibly could not live without!

• Castelvetrano Olives (Buy Here) - I first had these olives at Ottimista Enoteca and soon became obsessed.  They are a vibrant green color and are mild and creamy.  Heaven in the form of an olive.  You can easily eat these by the bowl.
• Ramsay 2008 Pinot Noir (Buy Here) - We first enjoyed this wine at Terzo and then realized we could buy it by the case for less than half the price per bottle.  Its a no-brainer and is the perfect pinot to have on hand for a last minute house-warming gift or nightly glass of red.
• Punchfork (Click Here) - This website is a portal for all the best recipes on top food blogs and websites.  You can search by ingredient and save all your favorite recipes.  Such a great resource for the nights that you need a little inspiration!
• Cowgirl Creamery Knife (Buy Here) - This sounds so simple (and it is) but this is a great, cheap, portable cheese knife to take with you on a picnic, to a barbecue or on a staycation.  There is nothing more frustrating than having a warm baguette and a beautiful chunk of cheese and no way to cut it.  This knife will solve that problem (and will do it safely since its encased in a protective cover).
• LuLu White Truffle Honey (Buy Here) - I could happily eat this honey by the spoonful.  It is the perfect addition to a cheese platter and pairs beautifully with brie, goat cheese.... you name it!  Its also delicious when drizzled over crostini (See Burrata Crostini recipe)
• Plenty Cookbook (Buy Here) - This cookbook, referenced in one of my posts, is a beautiful collection of vegetarian recipes.  The photography is stunning and the recipes are all equally delicious.  This is a great addition to any cookbook collection.  
• Chef's Feed (Click Here) - This app provides restaurant recommendations from the country's best chefs.  Enter your city and the app will offer all local chefs' favorite dishes.  Its a great find- especially when you are exploring a new city and don't want to take a chance on a bad meal.
• St. Germain Elderflower Liquor (Buy Here) - A splash of this delicate floral liquor is the perfect compliment to your glass of champagne or prosecco.  Its a unique and lovely liquor to have on hand.  
• Pinterest (Click Here) - I know I'm a late adopter on this one, but it is so fun and addictive.  You can pin pictures, recipes, and products you like and create boards.  Then you can follow others and they can follow you. Its very easy to spend countless hours on this site- its chock-full of eye candy!
• Bi-Rite Market (Shop Here) - This beautiful and tiny market next to Dolores Park (SF) is full of organic and homemade products that will make your mouth water.  It is not the best place to do your regular grocery shopping (unless you want to spend your whole paycheck) but it is perfect for picking up gourmet ingredients or for putting together a yummy picnic for the park.  They also have their own cookbook/grocer's guide which is quite popular.