Spaghetti with Garlic, Oil, Chili and Bottarga

Method

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (about 4 liters of water with 10 g of salt per 300 g of pasta).
2. Slice the garlic cloves into thin rounds to release maximum flavor.
3. In a large pan, add a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and the sliced garlic. Turn on the heat to low and slowly cook the garlic until golden, being careful not to burn it.
4. Cut the fresh Italian chili into small rings and add them to the pan along with the garlic. Also add the parsley stems (keep the leaves for later).
5. Cook the garlic and chili gently, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden and fragrant.
6. Finely chop the parsley leaves and set aside. Grate or finely shave about 10 g of bottarga per person (40 g total) for later.
7. Once the garlic is golden, add most of the chopped parsley to the pan and immediately add a splash of the pasta cooking water to stop the cooking and keep the parsley soft and green.
8. Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water for about 12 minutes, but remove them after 7 minutes (al dente and still slightly undercooked) because they will finish cooking in the sauce.
9. Transfer the undercooked spaghetti directly into the pan with the garlic and chili sauce. Add a ladle of pasta water and toss well over medium heat to emulsify and let the pasta absorb the flavors.
10. Continue cooking and tossing, adding more pasta water as needed, until the pasta is perfectly al dente and the sauce is creamy.
11. Turn off the heat. Add most of the grated or shaved bottarga (reserve some for garnish) and toss gently.
12. Add the remaining chopped parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Mix well.
13. Serve immediately, garnishing each plate with additional bottarga shavings and a sprinkle of lemon zest (optional).