Capellini in Sea Urchin Sauce - a sumptuous pasta dish cooked in 10 minutes

Sea urchin supply has increased in recent years, making it possible to enjoy its fresh and sweet flavor even at home. Besides enjoying it as sashimi, the rich and creamy texture of sea urchin is perfect for creating simple dishes.

It's a great joy to enjoy delicious sea urchin, with its fresh sweetness lingering on the palate. In Hong Kong, sea urchins are mainly sourced from Japan and Canada. Japanese sea urchins are smaller in size but have a richer and sweeter flavor. On the other hand, Canadian sea urchins are larger in size and although not as sweet as Japanese ones, they offer better value for money.

Sea Urchin - the darker the sweeter?

Different varieties of sea urchins have varying degrees of color intensity, so color alone does not indicate freshness. For example, white sea urchins tend to be lighter in color, while green sea urchins have a bright yellow appearance. Another factor influencing color is the sea urchin's gender; females and males can also vary in color intensity.

How to know the sea urchin is fresh？

Since color isn't the determining factor, there are other ways to assess the freshness of sea urchins. When choosing sea urchins, look for those with a smooth and shiny surface as they are likely fresher. Also, check if the sea urchins are wet or starting to melt; if they appear close to melting, they are not fresh. Conversely, if they look intact, plump, and shine, it indicates they are very fresh.

Besides enjoying sea urchin as sashimi, its rich and smooth texture makes it perfect for simple dishes. This time, let's make a pasta dish that takes only 10 minutes (actually 8 minutes to prepare). Crush the sea urchin and mix it with butter, salt, and herbs. Toss it with hot angel hair pasta, and it's ready. Since sea urchin is naturally sweet and flavorful, minimal cooking is needed to preserve its oceanic taste.

Ingredients (serve 2)

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Capellini	160g
Sea Urchin	100g
Unsalted Butter	20g
Salt	1 tsp
Ground Black Pepper	1 tsp
Dill	few sprigs
Pasta cooking water	appropriate

Steps

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1. Chop the dill; mash the sea urchin into a sauce.

2. Heat and melt the butter.

3. Mix the mashed sea urchin, melted butter, salt, black pepper, and chopped dill together until well combined. Set aside.

4. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the angel hair pasta and cook for 3 minutes.

5. Once the angel hair pasta is cooked, immediately remove it from the water. Add it along with a little pasta water to the sea urchin sauce, mix well, and it's ready to serve.

6. Garnish with more sea urchin (if you have any left) and dill and it's done!