What is the origin of Orbetello bottarga?

Orbetello bottarga’sOrbetello comes from the roe of the grey mullet, also called cephalus, fished in the Orbetello lagoon, in Maremma. Its exact origin is difficult to date: the local tradition of fish preservation is said to have been introduced by the Spanish. As early as the 16th century, they notably smoked eels and prepared fish with escabeche, a vinegar sauce. This does not prove that bottarga itself dates back to that time; it was mostly made by families for their own consumption.

It is prepared by carefully removing the roe sacs from the females, then salting, pressing and drying them. It is therefore a specialty linked to lagoon fishing and local preservation techniques, rather than a recipe whose invention could be attributed with certainty to a single person or a specific date. Production for sale was launched by the Orbetello fishermen’s cooperative in 1966.

Its color is amber and its taste salty and concentrated. You can taste it in thin slices, with a drizzle of olive oil, or grated over pasta. Orbetello bottarga has become a Slow Food Presidium in 2004, a recognition that supports local production.