Squid Ink Pasta with Huevo de Bacalao and Saffron Cream Sauce

I frequently make pasta with squid ink. This time I combined it with a cream sauce containing "huevo de bacalao" -- firm cured cod egg sacks, botarga. It was easy to make, rich and intense, and worth doing again. The Bacalao retains some of its texture which makes it more appealing than a smooth sauce. Adding Garlic and Saffron seemed compatible flavors, but you can omit if you like.

The first time I made this with 160 g (?) Huevo de Bacalao, the second with a 125 g Mullet. Both seemed a bit dense, thickening the sauce. I'd suggest dropping this to 100 g, with half in the sauce and half as a garnish. I first used 36% fat cream, but dropped to 18% fat cream the next time but it was still quite dense.

Dramatic squid ink pasta and intense cream sauce

pinch    Saffron
         Bourbon or other alcohol
         Oil
1 clove  Garlic, minced
100 ml   Cream, 18% fat
100 g    Botarga: Huevo de Bacalao, Mullet, etc, coarsely grated
180 g    Squid Ink Pasta, fresh, cut into spaghetti

Pulverize the Saffron in a folded sheet of paper rubbed with the back of a spoon and add to a little Bourbon or other alcohol to extract the flavor.

In a pot, heat a little Oil and add minced Garlic; cook until softened and the raw smell is gone.

Grate the Botarga on a coarse box grater.

Add the Cream and half the Botarga to the pot and heat; it may seem too thin for a sauce at first but will thicken as the Bacalao dissolves into the Cream. Add the Saffron in alcohol. Stir occasionally.

Boil the Pasta in salted water; the fresh pasta  will only take a few minutes. Drain, but save some of the water to thin the sauce if needed.

Plate the pasta and top with the sauce, garnish with remaining Botarga; serve.