Daniele Usai's sublime ray cheek recipe pairs these delicious morsels with simple puréed peas, bay-infused tapioca and slices of black garlic to finish.
Soak the tapioca for approximately 1 hour, then wash well to remove some of the starch. Cook in salted water with the bay leaves for 5 minutes, then drain and cool
Soak ¼ of the peas in ice water, then cook in salted boiling water for 20 seconds. Drain and immediately return to a bowl of iced water to cool. Set the peas aside – these will later be used for garnish
Dunk the remaining peas in iced water, then cook them in salted water until cooked through. Cool in iced water. Drain the peas and add to a blender, adding a little cold water, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper until you obtain a smooth and silky cream. Pass through a sieve if necessary
Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a pan and add the ray cheeks, cooking until browned on both sides. Season with salt and pepper and place in the oven for 2 minutes to finish cooking. Meanwhile, gently warm the pea cream
Pour the warm pea cream onto a plate and place the ray cheeks on top. Spoon the tapioca between the cheeks, add a few of the blanched peas and garnish with some slices of black garlic. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some sprigs of shiso cress and serve
Daniele Usai has turned the sleepy seaside town of Ostia into a destination for gourmands worldwide thanks to his relaxed, simple approach to cooking local ingredients.
