Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces spaghetti or linguine
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 8 ounces fresh sea urchin roe (uni), cleaned
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Add the spaghetti or linguine and cook until al dente, according to package instructions.
  3. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the rest.
  4. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
  5. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  6. Stir in red pepper flakes and halved cherry tomatoes; cook until tomatoes soften, about 3-4 minutes.
  7. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the tomatoes.
  8. Pour in the reserved pasta water little by little, stirring to create a sauce.
  9. Add lemon zest, chopped basil, and salt to taste; mix well.
  10. Gently fold in the cleaned sea urchin roe and fresh lemon juice, allowing them to warm slightly without cooking.
  11. Plate the pasta, ensuring an even distribution of sea urchin across each serving.
  12. Garnish with extra fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.