Spaghetti with Mantis Shrimp and Bottarga

Method

1. Clean the mantis shrimp: using scissors, remove the small fin on the tail, then cut off the small fins connecting the back and belly carapaces. Separate the carapaces and extract the meat with your finger. Reserve the meat and keep all shells and scraps separately.
2. Prepare the broth: in a pot, heat olive oil with a whole garlic clove (skin removed). Add all the shrimp scraps, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté for a couple of minutes over medium heat.
3. Pour in half a glass of dry white wine, increase heat to high to evaporate the alcohol. Add 1 teaspoon of tomato paste and 1 litre of water. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. After 20 minutes, strain the broth, reserving the liquid. Return the solids to a stainless steel pot. Using a meat tenderiser, crush the solids to release any remaining juices. Pour the strained broth back into the pot, cover and simmer on low heat for another 7–8 minutes.
5. Strain the broth again to obtain a concentrated, flavourful stock. Set aside.
6. Zest the lemon. Finely chop the garlic (remove the central germ if present). In a large pan, heat olive oil, add the chopped garlic and anchovy fillets, and cook over low heat until the anchovies dissolve.
7. Add the mantis shrimp meat to the pan. Stir and let it cook, it will 'melt' into a creamy sauce. Add a ladleful of the reserved broth and continue cooking on low heat until the liquid reduces.
8. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 2–3 minutes, or until they bend without breaking (about half the recommended cooking time). Reserve some pasta water if needed.
9. Transfer the partially cooked spaghetti to the pan with the shrimp sauce. Increase the heat to high and add more broth as needed. Toss the pasta like a risotto, allowing the liquid to evaporate and the sauce to concentrate. Cover briefly to raise the temperature, then continue stirring.
10. Once the pasta is al dente and well coated, turn off the heat. Add chopped parsley, a pinch of pepper, and freshly grated bottarga to taste. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and toss gently.
11. Plate the spaghetti immediately. Garnish with lemon zest, a little more pepper, and another drizzle of good olive oil. Serve hot.