Grey mullet roe pressed, dried and sealed in beeswax — the Greek bottarga, made at the Messolonghi lagoon since Ottoman times and PDO protected. The wax coating is what preserves the pressed roe.
It is a PDO product from one lagoon, and the method depends on removing the roe sac unbroken, pressing it under controlled conditions and sealing it in wax — a trade skill, and the roe itself is only available where the fishery is.
What goes into it
- intact grey mullet roe sacs
- coarse salt
- beeswax
How it is made
The roe sacs are removed whole and unbroken, salted, then pressed flat under boards for days to drive out moisture and compact them. They are dried in air for a week or two and then dipped repeatedly in molten beeswax, which seals them completely against air and lets them keep for a year without refrigeration.
How long it takes: two to four weeks from roe to sealed block
How it is eaten
Sliced paper-thin with lemon and olive oil, or grated over pasta.
History
Made at the Messolonghi lagoon since Ottoman times and PDO protected; the beeswax coating preserves the pressed roe.
Frequently asked questions
What is Avgotaracho?
Avgotaracho is a charcuterie & cured from Greece: grey mullet roe pressed, dried and sealed in beeswax. Made at the Messolonghi lagoon since Ottoman times and PDO protected; the beeswax coating preserves the pressed roe.
How is Avgotaracho made?
The roe sacs are removed whole and unbroken, salted, then pressed flat under boards for days to drive out moisture and compact them. They are dried in air for a week or two and then dipped repeatedly in molten beeswax, which seals them completely against air and lets them keep for a year without refrigeration. It takes two to four weeks from roe to sealed block.
Can I make Avgotaracho at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. It is a PDO product from one lagoon, and the method depends on removing the roe sac unbroken, pressing it under controlled conditions and sealing it in wax — a trade skill, and the roe itself is only available where the fishery is.
What goes into Avgotaracho?
Intact grey mullet roe sacs, coarse salt, beeswax.
How is Avgotaracho eaten?
Sliced paper-thin with lemon and olive oil, or grated over pasta.
