San Carlo helps Valentine’s Day along with an aphrodisiac recipe

Manchester’s award winning San Carlo restaurant is recommending a Valentine's Day dish with potent aphrodisiac qualities.

For thousands of years sea urchins have been acclaimed as one of the most potent aphrodisiacs.

For thousands of years sea urchins have been acclaimed as one of the most potent aphrodisiacs.

In the Far East and Europe they are a popular delicacy because of their unique tasting roe.

Leading Sicilian chef Guiseppe Squillari tells us that: “Sea urchins, which are known in Italy as ‘ricci di mare’ have a delicious roe that can be eaten on a nice toasted slice of homemade bread rubbed with cloves of garlic.

“This is the most popular way to eat the sea urchins roe in my own island of Sardinia.

“The classic way is on a nice sunny day to eat them on the beach with a few slices of homemade bread and a bottle of your own house wine.

“In my village, Sorso, during the winter season when the sea urchins are at their peak, everybody becomes fisherman and goes to the rocky beaches to pick them directly from the fresh water.

“In the evening friends or family gather together by the wooden fire and with scissors in hand they start the party with a good glass of house wine.

“In Sardinia and Sicily the sea urchins are very popular and well known as a delicacy. They are eaten only in winter because they are at their peak and have 5 nice wedges of roe in their spiky shell.

“In the north of Sardinia in the peak season we have big festivals in Alghero where there are celebrations by the harbour all day long and you can eat as many as you want!”

Manchester’s award-winning San Carlo restaurant recommends the following recipe as a Valentine’s dish with a difference.

Spaghetti with Sea Urchin

Recipe for 4 people

5 Fresh sea urchin roe
2 Cloves of garlic - chopped
½ red chilli - chopped
10cl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Chopped fresh parsley
500g of spaghetti/pasta

Method

Clean the sea urchins by carefully opening the spiky shell with a small pair of scissors and gently rinsing in cold water.

Carefully remove the roe wedges with a teaspoon and put to one side.

Boil a pan of water with salt and cook pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile heat the extra virgin olive oil in a small frying pan and sauté the garlic and chilli.

Strain the pasta and toss with the garlic and chilli and a small amount of the pasta water.

Add the sea urchin roe, gently toss.

Serve sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley.