Bottarga is an Italian delicacy consisting of a dense, salt-cured fish roe from tuna, mullet, or swordfish that resembles a petrified sausage, as it is first left to harden and is then coated with beeswax. It has a salty flavor with a silky texture.

Bottarga is often grated over pasta or egg dishes, although it can also be cut into smaller pieces, drizzled over with lemon juice, and served as an appetizer.

Bottarga di muggine or mullet roe is one of the most renowned Sardinian foods. To prepare this delicacy, roe pouches of Mugil Cephalus, or flathead grey mullet, are first cleaned, cured in sea salt, pressed, then dried.

The result is a delicacy with a salty flavor and a dense, silky texture. Bottarga can be shaved, sliced, chopped, or grated, and even a small amount can provide a lot of flavor to a wide range of dishes. Thinly sliced and flavored with lemon juice and olive oil, bottarga is often served as an appetizer, and when it's finely chopped, it makes a great addition to fresh vegetable salads. 

Bottarga di tonno, or tuna fish roe, is a cured delicacy from the Italian region of Sardinia. Made with salted, pressed, and dried tuna fish roe, bottarga di tonno used to be considered a poor man’s food, but nowadays it is a luxurious treat, often referred to as the gold of Sardinia.

With its extraordinary, rich, salty flavor and beautiful colors ranging from deep red-amber to brilliant orange-yellow, bottarga di tonno is a great addition to a wide range of dishes, but it is also delicious enough to be enjoyed on its own, flavored with a touch of lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Fishing and fish preservation in Liguria are traditions known since the early 16th century when the historical Republic of Genoa was already regulating and controlling fish supply, prices and sales. Acciughe Sotto Sale del Mar Ligure are Ligurian anchovies, caught in the Tyrrhenian Sea between April and October.

The freshly caught fish are cleaned, pre-salted and cured in chestnut wood barrels or terracotta vases for about 40 to 60 days. After the curing process is over, the salted anchovies are marketed in glass containers called arbanelle, layered and covered with fine sea salt. 

Trota affumicata di San Daniele, also known as "la regina di San Daniele," is a smoked trout crafted from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) raised in the pristine waters of Friuli, where they mature naturally over 7-8 years, reaching up to a meter in length and approximately 10 kg (22 lbs) in weight.

The preparation involves cold-smoking the trout at temperatures not exceeding 30°C/86°F, using a blend of selected woods, berries, and aromatic herbs. This meticulous process imparts a delicate smoky flavor that enhances the trout's lean, firm, and orange-red flesh. 

Sardella is a fish preserve from Calabrian Crotone that is often dubbed as Calabrian caviar. Traditionally, it is made with ground peperoncini (hot chili peppers) and sardine whitebait—young, immature fish locally known as bianchetti.

Because of strict fishing regulations that prevent the catch of small, immature fish such as bianchetti, sardella has become rare and is now usually made with other types of fish. Whitebait is a small, tender fish that is eaten whole. To prepare the sardella, the fish is mixed into a paste together with salt and peppers. 

Caviar from Brescia is one of the most popular regional products, and the entire region has become the center of caviar production in Italy. Sturgeon farming started with white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus), but other species and caviars are now farmed and produced.

White sturgeon caviar (Calvisius) is round, large, smooth, and tender, while the flavor is intense and complex, dominated by fruity, briny, and nutty notes. The tradition of farming sturgeons was started in Calvisano by the Tolettini family. They used the water for steel mills and directed it into large fish tanks.