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Guitar-Cut Pasta with Bottarga and Chiles: Maccheroni alla Chitarra
Recipe copyright Mario Batali, 2002. All rights reserved
Show:  Molto Mario
Episode:  While My Chitarra...
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup oven-roasted tomatoes, recipe follows
1/4 cup basic tomato sauce, recipe follows
1 pound maccheroni alla chitarra or spaghettini
1 "tongue" bottarga (pressed red mullet roe) shaved or finely grated - or substitute any caviar
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.

In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, combine the olive oil, pepper flakes, and garlic and saute until the garlic is almost brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, until tender yet al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain the pasta and add it to tomato mixture. Toss over high heat one minute. Divide among 4 heated bowls, shave bottarga over each bowl, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and serve immediately.

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes:
1 pound Roma tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise, squeeze out the seeds, and remove the membrane. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, oil, salt, and pepper and coat the tomatoes with mixture.

Place the tomatoes, cut side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the oven. Cook for 2 hours, or until the tomatoes are very soft and have lost about half of their liquid.

Basic Tomato Sauce:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
Kosher salt

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the thyme and carrot and cook until the carrot is quite soft, about 5 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and their juice and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer until as thick as hot cereal, about 30 minutes. Season with salt, to taste.

This sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Yield: 4 cups

Other Recipes from this Episode
Lamb Skewers with Eggplant: Rosticini con Melanzane Picante
Lamb and Veal Meatloaf: Polpettone

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Mario Batali
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