Prep Time: 10mins             Cooking time: Approx. 20mins             Serves: 4

We developed this dish inspired by the southern Italian pairing of lentils and bottarga, where earthy depth meets savoury intensity from the sea. Rather than recreating a soup, we wanted to build a pasta that keeps those flavours intact while allowing the grain-led structure of spelt and lentil tubetti lisci to carry them.

The parsley and lemon bring brightness and lift, while the soffritto gives body and warmth. The addition of hot pasta water to the parsley blend helps emulsify the sauce and preserve its colour, allowing everything to come together into a soft, creamy coating rather than a loose dressing.

Finished with shaved bottarga di muggine, the result is savoury, fresh and deeply satisfying without feeling heavy.

INGREDIENTS

• 200g Carleschi Spelt & Lentil Tubetti Lisci
• 2 carrots
• 1 celery stick
• 1 brown onion
• 2 handfuls fresh parsley
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Hot pasta cooking water (for blending)
• Bottarga di muggine (to finish)
• Salt (to taste)

Instructions

• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the tubetti until just al dente.
• Finely dice the carrots, celery and onion.
• In a wide pan, gently cook the vegetables in olive oil over medium heat until soft and lightly golden.
• In a blender, combine parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and a small ladle of hot pasta cooking water. Blend until smooth.
• Add the parsley mixture to the pan during the last 5 minutes of cooking the vegetables.
• Add another splash of pasta cooking water and allow the sauce to simmer gently.
• Drain the pasta and add it to the pan.
• Toss and stir until the sauce becomes creamy and coats the pasta evenly.
• Plate and finish with freshly shaved bottarga.

Buon appetito!