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Bottarga from Orbetello

Bottarga di Orbetello has been a Slow Food presidium since 2004, with the aim of keeping alive the traditional production of this typical Tuscan product.

The bottarga is obtained by drying the ovarian sacs of the mullet, of the Mugil cephalus variety, following various production phases, first the extraction of the ovarian sacs, an activity that requires great skill and experience in order not to break the thin membrane that encloses the eggs, second the salting, third the drying, which can last up to a maximum of 15 days. Orbetello bottarga is a product strongly linked to the territory, it is in fact produced exclusively on the Orbetello Lagoon, and differs from the more famous Sardinian bottarga, which has a drying time of up to 6 months. The final product has an elongated shape and a solid consistency, the inside is not dry, and the color is amber.

History of Bottarga di Orbetello

The preservation of the fish through drying or smoking is a tradition that most likely comes from the Arabs, imported to Orbetello by the Spaniards between the 16th and 17th centuries, during the domination of the State of the Spanish Royal Presidia. The very term roe would derive from the Arabic “butarikh” which literally means “salted fish roe”. For example, the Spaniards, skilled navigators, used to smoke eels and consume the fish by seasoning it with a special hot sauce, escabece, prepared with rosemary, garlic, vinegar and pepper. For many years the Orbetello bottarga was an exclusively local product, consumed mainly by fishermen, but in recent decades it has risen to prominence, becoming one of the excellences of Tuscany, included among the Slow Food presidia since 2004.

Orbetello mullet

All the fish used for the production of bottarga comes from the Orbetello Lagoon and is fished with respect for the environment and ancient traditions. The mullet is a fish species typical of lagoon areas and especially of the Orbetello Lagoon. For the production of bottarga, exclusively the mullet of the Mugil cephalus variety is used. Mullet fishing is carried out throughout the year, with particular intensity in the months of August and September.

The garrison

Fishing in the lagoon has been one of the most important economic activities for Orbetello since ancient times. Even today, sustainable techniques are respected even if modernized compared to past centuries, for the fishing of local native species: mullet, sea bass, sea bream, eel, calcinelli, female and prawns. Three traditional techniques are used for fishing in the lagoon: gillnet, martavello and trammel. The mullet is a mechanical barrier positioned at the exchange of water between the lagoon and the sea, where the capture of mullet takes place, it exploits the high tide, the trammel net is a fixed net made of three layers of mesh, used in fishing in summer and between November and January, finally the martavelli, which are pots for catching winter crabs (femminella), eels and prawns.

Fishermen's Cooperative of Orbetello

The fishermen of Orbetello are united in a cooperative which has around 58 members. In addition to fishing in the lagoon, the cooperative manages fish processing, a resale, a fish market, a farm of sea bass and sea bream fry for the repopulation of the lagoon. the production of traditional nuanced (smoked) eel, mullet fillets and bottarga, and a restaurant where exclusively dishes based on fish caught and cooked in the Orbetello style are prepared. The Orbetello Fishermen’s Cooperative also manages a fishing tourism service, through which you can visit the entire lagoon and discover the fishing methods and species that populate the lagoon.

Orbetello Fishermen’s Cooperative
Via G. Leopardi, 9 – 58015 Orbetello (GR)
Tel.: +39 0564 860611

Recipes with Bottarga di Orbetello

Bottarga di Orbetello is a very versatile product that can be used in various ways. Traditionally in Orbetello it is eaten simply cut into thin slices, with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a dash of lemon, or grated on a plate of spaghetti seasoned with garlic, oil, chilli pepper and parsley.