Bottarga di Muggine

Bottarga di Muggine is the "caviar of the Mediterranean": salted, pressed, and sun- and wind-dried roe of mullet fish from Sardegna. Production is concentrated in Cabras, in the Sinis peninsula, and in some areas of the Sulcis.

The production method has remained unchanged for millennia: the mullet's ovarian sacs are extracted whole, salted, and placed under weight to remove moisture, then air-dried for weeks until reaching the perfect consistency — compact but not hard.

With an amber-golden color, it has an intensely briny flavor that is salty and slightly bitter. It is grated over pasta (spaghetti alla bottarga, the quintessential Sardinian dish), scattered in flakes over salads, or enjoyed in thin slices with olive oil and lemon.