When we talk about the sea in Sardinian cooking, three words say a lot: fregola, arselle and bottarga. They are simple ingredients that give intense, recognisable flavours on the plate, and on the menu at Da Luisu, a restaurant with Sardinian and Roman cuisine on Via di Boccea, they appear in several dishes.
Fregola: the Sardinian pasta in small spheres
Fregola is a durum-wheat semolina pasta from the Sardinian tradition, made of small irregular spheres that are then toasted, which gives them a lightly nutty flavour. It is cooked like pasta but comes to the table almost like a risotto, its sauce staying creamy. It is a perfect shape for fish.
Fregola with arselle
On the official menu it is described as durum-wheat semolina pasta from the Sardinian tradition with arselle, the Sardinian clams. Arselle are small and sweet and leave their liquid in the dish, which the fregola absorbs.
Fregola with seafood
The same pasta with seafood: the menu lists mussels and clams. It is a richer version, to choose when you want a generous seafood first course.
Mullet bottarga
Bottarga is made from fish roe, here mullet, and on the menu it is presented as Sardinian mullet bottarga. It is grated or thinly sliced and gives savouriness and an intense scent of the sea; a little goes a long way. On the Da Luisu menu it appears in three ways: in the spaghetti with clams and bottarga, in the celery and bottarga salad and on the white Luisu pizza, with mozzarella and sautéed calamari.
Why celery and bottarga
Celery is crisp and fresh, bottarga savoury and deep: the pairing works precisely because of the contrast. It is a light starter, suited to opening a fish meal.
Seafood starters
Besides the celery and bottarga salad, the menu offers prawn tails alla catalana, seafood salad, octopus and potato salad, the mixed seafood plate (three salads on one dish) and sautéed mussels, clams or mussels and clams. Seafood salad and sautéed mussels are listed among the most requested.
Fish after the pasta
If there is still room after the pasta, the seafood mains include sea bream, king prawns and scampi grilled, the mixed grill and fried calamari and prawns, and among the Sardinian preparations the sea bream and king prawns alla vernaccia, flavoured with the Oristano wine.
The right wine
For fish, the mind goes to Vermentino. On the restaurant's wine list several Vermentino di Sardegna and di Gallura come with pairing notes: for example, the Funtanaliras is listed as ideal with octopus and potatoes and with spaghetti with clams, while the Blu is recommended in particular for shellfish.
Curiosities about Sardinian seafood cooking
Fregola is generally cooked in broth or in the liquid of its sauce, and so it turns out softer and creamier than traditional pasta: with fish it absorbs all the flavour. Bottarga, whether of mullet or tuna, is a product found in several coastal areas of the island; it keeps for a long time and is also used as a final seasoning, grated like rain. Arselle, unlike the more common clams, are smaller and typically linked to the Sardinian lagoons. They are ingredients that carry with them an idea of simple cooking: few elements, short cooking times, clear flavours.
How to choose if it is your first time
If you want a classic choice, the spaghetti with clams and bottarga; for something more Sardinian, the fregola with arselle. Seafood starters, such as sautéed mussels, are ideal to share in the middle of the table.
A note on allergens and frozen products
Fish, molluscs and crustaceans are major allergens. On the menu some items are marked with an asterisk because they may be frozen. If you have allergies or intolerances, tell your server before ordering or call 06 6156 4012.
To taste the Sardinian sea in Rome, book a table at Da Luisu, Via di Boccea 724.
