Ferrara Caviar

Ferrara Caviar is a unique specialty of Emilia-Romagna cuisine and comes from an ancient tradition that has to do with the Este court.

It is a fine sturgeon caviar, prepared according to a recipe that comes from the Renaissance, when Duke Alfonso I d'Este and his cook Cristoforo di Messisbugo made it a symbol of fine cooking.
This delicacy is different from traditional caviar for its processing, which enhances its flavour and makes it more versatile in the kitchen. It can be eaten by itself, or used to enrich dishes like pasta, potatoes and bread croutons.

Recipe: Spaghettoni with sour cream and Ferrara Caviar
Ingredients for 4 people:
320 g thick spaghetti
500 ml fresh cream to whip
40 g Ferrara Caviar
½ lemon's juice
A pinch of salt

Preparation:
Make sour cream: put the fresh cream in a bowl, add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt, mix until combined and set to rest until it gets thick and slightly sour.
Cook pasta: put the spaghetti in boiling and salted water and drain when "al dente". lessare gli spaghettoni in abbondante acqua salata e scolarli al dente. Move the pasta to a wide pan, add the sour cream and mix well, adding some pasta water if necessary. Serve: put the spaghetti on a plate and add a spoonful of Ferrara Caviar.

A simple yet fine dish, where the flavour of the sour cream enhances the strong, full flavour of the caviar. A homage to the great food tradition of the Este.