Stuffed Squid and Spaghetti
Nonna Louisa Perroni
Ingredients
4 small squid or calamari, approximately 800 grams
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Optional: 350 grams spaghetti
For the sauce
250 grams fresh ripe tomatoes or a small can of stewed plum tomatoes
A pinch of sugar
10 basil leaves
Sea salt
For the stuffing
4 tablespoons grated Pecorino (aged sheep’s milk cheese)
4 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Clean the squid by pulling the tentacles and the head out of the body sac.
Pull the skin off the sac and clean out the innards. Remove the transparent chitinous support and rinse well in seawater. Be careful not to damage
the sac, which will hold the stuffing. Take out the beak in the middle of the tentacles and remove the eyes. Cut the tentacles and head into
little pieces. Rinse well and dry on paper towel. Sauté in a casserole in 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and put aside.
Pour the tomato purée into the same oil, add the sugar, the basil leaves, the pepper and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile prepare the stuffing in a bowl. Mix the slightly beaten eggs, the breadcrumbs, grated sheep’s milk cheese, garlic, parsley and cooked tentacles. Do not add salt. “You want a runny consistency”, said Maria Biviano, “so that you can spoon it into the squid”. Fill each squid only half full. Otherwise the breadcrumbs will burst the sac. The sisters used to sew up the ends of the squid but nowadays they use toothpicks.
Brown the stuffed squid in the remaining spoonful of oil until the liquid they give off evaporates. When both sides are browned transfer the squid to the
casserole with the tomato purée and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
Eat them in their sauce or separately.
Spoon the sauce over 350g of spaghetti and serve
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This recipe is available for digital download as a PDF here:
Stuffed Squid and Spaghetti
Credit: Stock image