A great classic not only on the Adriatic coast but all over seaside towns in Italy, although with local variations. Tagliolini (or spaghetti) con i calamari (squid) is the perfect seafood main course for a summer lunch, and a sprinkle of bottarga is just the kick that it really needs to make it bold and unforgettable.
Bottarga is often considered the ‘grated cheese’ of the sea. Cured bottarga is a prized Mediterranean delicacy made from the salted, cured egg sac (roe) of grey mullet or bluefin tuna. It is pressed to remove moisture and dried to achieve a dense, firm texture. Because of its intense flavour, a little goes a long way. Bottarga is never cooked, but rather used as a seasoning.
To garnish this plate of pasta, I added lemon zest and fresh herbs to bring freshness and zing, and they pair beautifully with the floral notes of Prosecco DOC Rosé.
Chef’s tips: Skip the pasta-making to cut recipe times if you don’t feel like it. Use good-quality pasta from the shop. If you want to omit the bottarga, I suggest using toasted pangrattato instead.
Italo Bassi’s journey is part of the collaboration between Vinibuoni d’Italia and the Consorzio Prosecco DOC. Eight Italian chefs interpret their cuisine through a signature dish, paired with a Prosecco DOC selected by Alessandro Scorsone. A narrative that weaves together territories, experiences, and visions, celebrating the meeting between fine dining and one of the most appreciated Italian wines worldwide.
From Romagna to the international stage, Italo Bassi has built his career through iconic kitchens such as Trigabolo and Enoteca Pinchiorri. In 2015, he founded Confusion, the first Michelin-starred restaurant in Costa Smeralda, and in 2025 he earned a second star with Finestra. His cuisine balances technique, identity, and vision, creating experiences that go beyond the plate.
This is a cheffy dish that takes inspiration from old French classics. A recipe committed to satisfying the most luxurious and gluttonous palate, and definitely to save for a special occasion.
Chef’s tips: just a touch of this sauce can help you enrich many dishes, even a simple mussel stew served with crusty bread. And remember to serve it with a glass of the same Prosecco DOC used in the making.
If you are a fan of Italian food and culture you might have heard the word baccalà as it is quite common in many areas of the country. Put simply, baccalà is salted cod, slightly different from stockfish which is simply air dried but unsalted. It was a way to preserve fish in the past but nowadays it is a proper and delicious ingredient in its own right.
Amongst the many Italian recipes using baccalà one stands out for me, the Venetian mantecato (literally means whipped). Here the salted cod fillets are desalted in running water, then cooked and whipped with cream and olive oil to a mousse-like consistency, which could be weird if you aren’t accustomed to it but I (like many others) find it absolutely delicious, especially if served as tradition requires, with toasted polenta.
Being this a traditional Venetian recipe, I couldn’t not pair it with a lovely Prosecco DOC and on this occasion I’ve used the renowned Mionetto brut. Mild acidicy, fruity notes and elegant bubbles, an undeniable great match with this briny fish recipe.
Trust me on this, you’ve got to try it, it is a must for all seafood lovers!
Ingredients
5 medium squid (peeled and gutted)
About 350 gr of breadcrumbs
5 tbsp EVO oil
30 gr grated Grana Padano
1 bunch of parsley
1 small bunch of mint
1 small bunch of basil
1 small bunch of rosemary
1 lemon
2 garlic cloves
3 green courgettes
FOR THE FILLING
350 gr of clean squid
1 egg
1 tbsp EVO oil
1 tbsp of chopped parsley
2 tbsp of toasted breadcrumbs
25 gr of grated Grana Padano cheese
The zest of half a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients
300 g monkfish
400 g mussels
300 g clams
200 g grouper
8 red prawns
8 green crabs
100 g cuttlefish
200 g gurnard or redfish
2 green courgettes
3 potatoes
1 sprig of basil and 1 of parsley
1 lemon and 1 chili pepper
1 dried tomato
extra virgin oil as needed
300 g San Marzano red tomatoes
160 g bulgur or cous cous
Ingredients/h3>
15 cl Prosecco DOC Brut
12 rock oysters
2 fillets of smoked mackerel
280 g of Carnaroli rice
10 g of grated Grana Padano cheese
30 g of onion (finely chopped)
10 g of unsalted butter
1 litres of fish stock
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 large lemon
1 small bunch of lemon balm
Salt and pepper (to taste)
When available and fresh, I often buy mussels in abundance, cook them and then freeze them in their cooking juices in portions so that I have the first 2 steps of the recipe always done in advance in my freezer.
Ingredients
500g of aubergine puree, drained and pat dry (about 1.5 kg raw)
250g of 00 flour
120g of grated Grana Padano
1 yolk
1 tbsp of dried oregano
Salt q.b.
FOR THE DRESSING
400g of cherry tomatoes
1 sprig of basil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
250g of stracciatella
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
