Rigatoni stuffed with saffron with cod liver: recipe from Bart Burger Gastronomic

Samfaina is one of those recipes that seem made for the end of summer and the beginning of autumn: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, zucchini and onions are found in the casserole dish when the garden is still generous.

In this recipe, a reinterpretation proposed by Toni Romero at Bart Burger Gastronòmic —his restaurant in Sant Boi de Llobregat where he makes burgers and dishes—, the samfaina comes out of the pot and goes into some rigatoni.

The chef who ran the legendary El Racó d'en Cesc restaurant for 30 years takes this traditional Catalan dish to another level, combining it with a cod pil pil sauce. A playful blend of Italian pasta, garden vegetables, and the taste of the sea.

The proposal is part of 'La Samfaina al Baix Llobregat', the initiative that brings together 32 restaurants from the Sabors de l'Horta collective, from September 21 to October 18, 2026, to promote the fresh and seasonal products grown in the Parc Agrari.

They will all cook dishes that feature samfaina as the main ingredient, in many cases accompanied by the indispensable cod, as we tell you here.

If you want other recipes with garden ingredients, you can try these ideas we suggest: aniseed pumpkin cream or mashed potatoes with bacon.

>> Bart Burger Gastronómic. c/Miguel de Cervantes, 2, 08830, Sant Boi de Llobregat (Barcelona).

Information

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Total time: 1 hour

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Preparation time: 20 minutes

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COOKING time 45 minutes

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MEDIUM DIFFICULTY

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COST € € €

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TYPE OF DISH First course

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Autumn Season

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DIET TYPE Lactose-free

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TYPE OF CUISINE Mediterranean

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TECHNIQUE Mixed technique

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1/2 eggplant

• 125g of tomato sauce

For the pil pil

• 250 g salted cod roe
• 2 peeled garlic cloves
• 125g of mild olive oil of 0.4°

Preparation

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Prepare the vegetables for the samfaina. Clean and dice the onion, red pepper, green pepper, zucchini and eggplant.

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Cook the vegetables for the samfania. In a saucepan with oil, sauté the onion and peppers. Next, add the zucchini and eggplant and continue to sauté them together slowly. Add the vegetables in the order listed, giving those that need more cooking time. Once all the vegetables are well caramelized, add the tomato sauce. Take your time; a gentle heat is important to achieve a rich and concentrated sauce, not just sautéed vegetables. Season well with salt and pepper and let the mixture continue to caramelize. Set aside.

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Prepare the pil pil sauce. Place the garlic cloves in a small saucepan with some of the olive oil and gently cook them over very low heat, without letting the garlic brown. Add the desalted cod fillet and cook over low heat, ensuring the temperature remains around 80ºC (176ºF), until the fish is cooked through and has released its juices and gelatin. Remove the cod and garlic and set the fish aside. Leave the oil and any juices released by the cod in the saucepan. Emulsify with an immersion blender, gradually adding the remaining oil in a thin stream until you obtain a smooth, creamy, and homogeneous sauce. If the emulsion becomes too thick, you can add a small amount of the reserved cod juices. Strain the pil pil sauce and set it aside.

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Prepare the rigatoni and plate. Cook the rigatoni al dente, following the manufacturer's instructions. Since they are filled and served with the hot pil pil sauce, it's important that the pasta doesn't break when handled. Fill the rigatoni with the samfaina and cover with the pil pil sauce.

Trick

• Cut the vegetables into very small and even pieces: since this is a pasta filling, a fine brunoise will make the samfaina easier to stuff into the rigatoni.
• Fill the pasta when the samfaina is lukewarm: a well-candied and slightly rested samfaina will have a more compact and manageable texture.
• Put the samfaina into a piping bag and fill the rigatoni one by one: it's much cleaner and allows for better distribution of the filling.

Tips

• Don't throw away the cod juices, as they help give body and flavor to the pil pil sauce. If the emulsion is too thick when you prepare it, a small amount of those juices can help thin it out.
• Don't make the pil pil over high heat: work with the oil warm and add it gradually. If using a hand blender, do so at medium speed, moving it gently to encourage emulsification.
• Keep an eye on the salt in the pil pil sauce: even if the cod is desalted, it may still retain some saltiness. Taste the sauce before adding salt.
• To serve, gently heat the pil pil sauce if necessary, but avoid letting it boil. It should be creamy and emulsified when served.