Dish of the month
Giorgio Locatelli

Locatelli at the National Gallery

Calamarata pasta, monkfish, samphire, candied lemon, caper powder

August is when cooking should feel effortless. This dish brings together some of my favourite flavours of the Mediterranean – the freshness of samphire, the brightness of candied lemon and the salty depth of capers.

The monkfish is delicate yet meaty, while the citrus keeps everything fresh and balanced. It's exactly the sort of pasta I love to cook for friends on a warm summer evening or enjoy by the sea. It feels generous without ever being heavy, which is exactly what I look for at this time of year.

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

360g calamarata pasta

200g monkfish tail, trimmed and cut into 2cm pieces

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to finish

1 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 small fresh red chili, finely sliced

100ml dry white wine

90g samphire

1 tbsp finely diced candied lemon

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

Lemon stock

500g water

1 lemon zest unwaxed

Bring the water to boil, then infuse the lemon zest in hot boiling water for 20 minutes

 

Caper powder

2 tbsp salted capers, rinsed and thoroughly dried

Bake at 100°C for about 1 hour, or until crisp, then blitz into a fine powder.

 

Method

Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil and cook the calamarata until just al dente.

Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Gently cook the garlic and chilli for 1–2 minutes.

Increase the heat and add the monkfish.

Sear for about 2 minutes, turning once. Pour in the white wine and let it reduce by about half.

Add the samphire and cook for 30–60 seconds. Stir in the candied lemon.

Add a ladle of the pasta cooking water and lemon stock to create a light emulsion with the olive oil.

Transfer the drained pasta to the pan and toss vigorously until coated. Add more pasta water if needed to achieve a silky sauce. Stir in the parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and finish with a generous dusting of caper powder.