Hard roe to go

Chefs love to hunt down speciality produce - and the shelves at Italian food specialist Vallebona are packed with the stuff. Cheeses, cured meats and pastas are its mainstays, but owner Stefano Vallebona is particularly proud of his bottarga.

This Sardinian delicacy is made from the entire sac of roe from mullet or tuna. The roe is pressed between two pieces of aged wood to a thickness of about one-and-a-half inches, then air-dried until it goes the colour of a light orange rind. It can then be shaved or grated over pasta tossed with butter or used in other recipes to give an intense, salty and slightly bitter taste.

It comes supplied in vacuum packs with a two-year shelf life.

PRICES: mullet bottarga, 80g or 110g sizes, £80 per kg; tuna bottarga, sold in kilograms, £92 per kg

AVAILABLE FROM: Vallebona