There are few foods more cozy and comforting than a plate of pasta, whether it’s slathered in a rich red sauce or dressed down with a bit of butter, garlic and parm.
Pasta is a flexible canvas and supports a wide range of flavors and textures. One ingredient that isn’t so commonly associated with pasta, however, is caviar.
While a few bold chefs have made this pairing in five-star restaurants, we see no reason why it shouldn’t be a more regular occurrence.
Let’s talk about the elegant and indulgent matrimony of caviar and pasta, and give you some guidance on how to make it happen the right way.
Why Does Caviar Pasta Work?
It seems like an unlikely combination, but caviar and pasta are actually a match made in heaven. Since pasta is a starchy, slightly chewy, and basically neutral in flavor, it is not too different in character from traditional caviar accompaniments like flour-based blinis, toast points, and puff pastries.
When cooked properly, pasta has just enough toothiness to make it a suitable delivery device for the light, briny pop of caviar pearls. The best caviar pasta delivers a delightful texture and temperature contrast between the two ingredients, offering a mouthfeel unlike any other dish.
Since we typically imagine caviar served as its own course with lemon, fresh herbs, chopped onions, and eggs, it can be hard to wrap our minds around caviar pasta as a legitimate entree, but it has been done elegantly many times before, given some key guidelines.
Here are a few of the basic rules you should follow to make the most of this powerful caviar and pasta combination at your next dinner party.
Keep it Light and Fresh
When we think pasta, images of big, bold, heavy dishes come to mind. We’re talking spaghetti and meatballs, linguine and clams, penne in vodka sauce, and rigatoni bolognese.
Those are some bona fide Italian classics, and they have their time and place, but when caviar is involved, you want to avoid those extravagant, spicy, meat-based sauces.
Caviar is all about light, delicate flavors that gently grace the palette and don’t overstay their welcome. The same philosophy should be applied to your pasta dish if you want caviar to play a supporting role. That’s why we typically see cream-based dishes accompanied by caviar, rather than traditional robust red sauces.
Your first goal when making caviar pasta is to achieve that perfect al dente texture, which can be accomplished by removing the pasta from boiling water just a minute or two before it is fully cooked. It may seem a bit tough at first touch, but the pasta will continue to steam in the colander for another minute or so after it comes out of the water.
The key here is to remove as much water as possible from the pasta by tossing and mixing it aggressively, ensuring the starches are fully released and that al dente texture is locked in. You can even lightly salt the pasta as you toss it to stiffen up the gluten molecules and prevent sogginess. The last thing you want is overly flimsy pasta when working with caviar.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the finest caviar does not react well with heat, meaning you should allow your pasta to come down to around room temperature before topping it off with those majestic pearls of the sea.
When caviar becomes too hot, it loses its firm exterior and the flavors may be compromised by the overwhelming heat of the pasta. Your pasta shouldn’t be cold by any means, but it also can’t be piping hot from the stove if you want to highlight the caviar to full effect.
As far as other ingredients go, less is more when it comes to making perfect caviar pasta. Just a little bit of cream and parmesan cheese will be enough to add body and flavor to the pasta itself, as the caviar will do most of the heavy lifting and remain the star of the show.
If cream is too heavy for your taste, go with lightly salted butter to keep things rich and make that pasta glow under the dimly lit lights of the dinner table. Sprinkle a bit of sea salt, crack some fresh black pepper and squeeze a small lemon wedge over the dish for good measure.
Remember, caviar should be the last thing you add to the dish before serving, and it should be deliberately scooped on the very top of the pasta pile for the best results.
Use a fork to twist the pasta up into a vertical position, and serve on a plate with plenty of negative space to allow for creative dining. Ideally, each bite should include a bit of caviar, rather than eating it all in one fell swoop.
When your dish finally comes together, it should look like something out of a gourmet food magazine, perfectly structured and attractive from every angle. Even if you don’t achieve the look you want, it’s going to taste delicious.
Best Pasta Shapes for Caviar
Picking a pasta shape is all about the other ingredients that come into play with the recipe. For big, spicy meat sauces, a tough ziti or penne shape will hold up best. Bucatini and linguine are long and strong strands that support creamy sauces, plenty of salt, and shell-laden seafood.
When caviar comes into play, however, you want the shape of the pasta to be on par with the delicate nature of the cured fish eggs, meaning you should opt for thin, stringy shapes like capellini or angel hair.
Not only will these shapes offer a perfect counterpoint to the fine texture of the caviar, but they can also be easily manipulated and crafted into any form you want, whether it’s a vertical pyramid or bird nest shape to house the caviar inside.
Remember that these pasta shapes cook very quickly, and to ensure an al dente feel, you don’t need to cook them for very long. In fact, during the time your caviar has been warming on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes, the pasta should be out of the water and cooling down.
While you may be tempted to experiment with other pasta shapes to give a platform to your caviar, hollow tubes like ziti and penne may trap the pearls inside and cause you to miss some of the flavors. It’s best to keep the caviar perched atop long noodles and enjoy every bite to the fullest.
A Little Goes a Long Way
Since the taste of caviar is extremely potent, you don’t need to go overboard with your portion. Just one tablespoon per serving is more than enough to get the point across when making caviar pasta, and is typically the right amount to keep things balanced on the plate.
You’ll also want to be selective about which caviar you choose to scoop onto your pasta. The world’s priciest caviars don’t actually have that “pop” you think of with most roe, so it may be wiser to choose mid-range caviar that provides that signature burst.
Conclusion
If you have some caviar stored in the fridge and want to really impress your guests at the next dinner party, caviar pasta is one of the most exciting dishes you can bring to the table. Not too heavy and exploding with flavor, this plate will earn you 5-star reviews all around.
Sources:
https://www.yummly.com/recipes/pasta-with-caviar
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lemon-capellini-with-caviar-3362506
https://www.eataly.com/us_en/magazine/eataly-recipes/spaghetti-caviar/