Italian
Mesca Francesca Potatoes and Fish
by Chef Roberto Di Pinto · 19.1K subscribers on YouTube
Chef Roberto Di Pinto demonstrates how to make Mesca Francesca with potatoes and fish at Sine di Milano. The dish starts with a garlic oil soffritto, then potatoes are cooked in a seafood broth before adding pasta. The final touch is a raw seafood mix marinated in lemon and basil oil, topped with shrimp head mayonnaise.
- Difficulty
- hard
Ingredients
22 items- Garlic OilAbundant oil
- CeleryFor soffritto
- CarrotsFor soffritto
- OnionsFor soffritto
- GarlicFor soffritto
- PotatoesCut into small pieces
- Brodetto di MareHomemade fish and shellfish broth
- Pasta Mesca Francesca4 min in boiling water then 4 min in the potato mixture
- OmbrinaPart of the raw seafood mix
- MusselsPart of the raw seafood mix
- ClamsPart of the raw seafood mix
- OctopusPart of the raw seafood mix
- CalamariPart of the raw seafood mix
- CannolicchioPart of the raw seafood mix
- GamberoPart of the raw seafood mix
- Lemon ZestFor the seafood mix
- Parsley OilFor the seafood mix
- Basil OilFor the seafood mix
- Lemon JuiceFor the seafood mix
- Candied LemonGarnish
- Finocchio di MareGarnish
- Maionese di Testa di GamberoMade without eggs, using lecithin from shrimp heads
Method
- Start cold: add abundant garlic oil to a pot and place over heat. Sauté until fragrant.
- Add the soffritto (celery, carrots, onions, garlic) and sauté until the vegetables release aroma.
- Add the potatoes and cook until they become translucent.
- Pour in the seafood broth (made from soup fish and shellfish) and cook the potatoes for 20 minutes, allowing them to absorb the sea flavor.
- Cook the Mesca Francesca pasta in boiling water for 4 minutes, then drain and add to the potato mixture. Continue cooking for 4 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the raw seafood mix: combine fish (ombrina), shellfish (mussels, clams, octopus, squid, razor clams, shrimp) with lemon zest, parsley oil, basil oil, and lemon juice. Let marinate for about 10–15 minutes.
- Place a serving pot or plate; add the pasta and potato base.
- Top with the raw seafood mix, candied lemon slices, and sea fennel.
- Finish with a dollop of shrimp head mayonnaise (made without eggs, using lecithin from shrimp heads).
- Serve directly from the pot at the table.
