Angelhair Pasta Aglio Olio with Dried Whitebait and Bottarga - Recipe

A classic Italian dish of pasta aglio e olio - with garlic and oil - gets a Japanese twist when you add chirimen (dried tiny whitebait) and karasumi (cured, pressed fish roe - the Japanese equivalent to bottarga). Pasta aglio e olio often calls for dried chilli flakes, but I like to add a bit of heat with pickled peperoncini (also spelled pepperoncini), which, because of the vinegar, adds a welcome acidity that balances the oiliness of the sauce.

Start making the sauce first, because it takes a little longer to cook than the pasta.