1 hour
4 Servings
Intermediate
Stuffed Calamari
This is a very popular dish in Italy that is eaten both at home with the family and at restaurants. Stuffing seafood or other foods gives you the freedom to be creative and come up with your own kinds of fillings.
Ingredients
500 gr (about 1 lb) squid (about 4 -5 squid cleaned and separated from tentacles)
1 clove of garlic
10 gr (0.5 oz) parsley
50 gr (1.5 oz) white bread
4 fillets anchovies (in oil)
1 egg (medium size)
30 gr (1 oz) grated pecorino cheese
100 gr (3.5 oz) potatoes
50 ml (1/5 cup) of milk
Sea Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Toothpicks
Mise en place :
Boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes.
Chopped parsley.
Chopped anchovies.
Chopped tentacles.
Directions
Start the recipe by drizzling olive oil into a pan and heating the oil on medium high heat. As the oil gets hot, add a peeled clove of garlic and quickly sauté with the chopped squid tentacles. Add a touch of salt and black pepper. Remove the garlic and the tentacles after 2 minutes of cooking and discard the garlic clove.
Into a large bowl, add the potatoes and the rest of ingredients which will make up the stuffing: chopped parsley, chopped anchovies, milk soaked bread that has been squeezed and torn apart, 1 egg, grated pecorino cheese and sautéed tentacles.
Mix the ingredients by hand or with a wooden spoon (it’s better to use hands to feel the texture in case you need to adjust it – it should be soft and moist, but not runny) incorporating a touch of olive oil, adjust with salt and pepper then leave the filling to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
After the filling has rested, stuff each squid (two thirds filled) with the filling, close the edges with toothpicks then they are ready to be cooked.
This kind of dish tastes best if grilled (a few minutes on each side on high heat will be enough) but you can also quickly sauté the squid with a bit of olive oil in a pan on medium high heat. As soon as the squid turns white and firm, it’s done (5 minutes generally).
Plate each stuffed squid singularly (can also be sliced cross wise) onto plates drizzling each with olive oil, sided by a light salad, then serve to guests.
This dish pairs nicely with Falanghina white wine!
Buon appetito!