Cucina a Spicchi #5: red prawns, fennel & Tacle clementines spaghetti

Cucina a Spicchi is the format of Tenuta Donna Fina that tells the story of citrus fruits outside the box. Not just desserts or juices, but versatile ingredients, capable of giving character, balance and depth to contemporary cuisine.

Chef Mario Casu, of Casu Osteria Contemporanea (Giarre, CT), present in the Michelin Guide and Gambero Rosso, accompanies us on this journey with an essential approach that enhances every part of the citrus fruit: juice, zest and pulp.

The protagonist: the Clementina Tacle

Tacle is a citrus fruit that loves to break the box. A natural hybrid between Clementine and Tarocco, it combines sweetness, acidity and an intense aroma that makes it perfect even in savory dishes.

In this recipe it is not a simple accompaniment: the Tacle binds, smells, balances.

Its juice becomes part of the creaming, the zest gives freshness, the citrus aroma dialogues with the sweetness of red shrimp and with the green notes of fennel.

The marinade

It starts with the red shrimp, treated with respect and simplicity. It is marinated with Clementine Tacle juice, extra virgin olive oil, white pepper and basil.

A few minutes, the time it takes for the shrimp to perfume without losing its delicacy.

Scent of Tacle

Cook the spaghetti in salted water.
In the meantime, the crumbs of stale bread are toasted in a pan with oil and a pinch of salt: a humble element that adds crunchiness and memory of Sicilian cuisine.

Aromas and freshness

Grated Tacle zest and chopped fennel are added to the crumb.
The scent that is released is immediate: citrusy, green, clean.

Creaming

The spaghetti drained al dente is creamed with the shrimp marinade. This is where the magic happens:
Tacle juice envelops the paste, creates a natural cream, without the need for anything else. The dish binds, harmonizes, takes on character. The result is a fresh, creamy, very aromatic dish.
The sweetness of the red shrimp remains the protagonist, but it is the Clementina Tacle that leaves its mark: an unmistakable citrus touch, elegant, never intrusive.

A cuisine that comes from the earth

This spaghetti tells exactly what Cucina a Picchi is for us:
starting from the fruit, from seasonality, from a simple idea and transforming it into a dish that speaks of Sicily, sea and countryside together.

If you want to try it at home, start with the raw material.
The Tacle, like all good things, is at its best when it is really in season