Grated Mullet Bottarga

This Bottarga di Muggine is made from the roe (egg) pouch of the grey mullet fish. Once it has been dried and cured, it has a golden or amber color and a savory, briny taste with a hint of almond. Bottarga was once known as the “poor man’s caviar,” but that hardly does justice to this Mediterranean delicacy, prized by food lovers from the ancient Egyptian, Phoenician and Roman empires, on up to the present. 

Amazingly, the production process has remained almost unchanged over the centuries. The roe sacks are cleaned, salted, pressed, and dried naturally on wooden planks for 15 to 30 days - unlike commercial versions, which can be dried in electric ovens in a few days, resulting in a higher water content and tell-tale pink color, the sign of an improperly cured product. The Fratelli Manca cooperative is proud to follow the traditional process of bottarga production, an historically important and delicious tradition!