The light cuttlefish pasta is a light and flavorful seafood dish that’s simple to prepare.
A tasty alternative when cuttlefish ink is not available or you prefer not to use it — also ideal for those who prefer a milder sauce.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 2 Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 6.3 oz whole wheat penne rigate
- 2 cuttlefish (with ink sacs)
- 1 pinch garlic powder
- 2 dried red chili peppers (whole)
- 4 stems parsley
- 2 fl oz white wine
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce (homemade)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
- to taste bottarga (in slab or powdered)
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (for finishing (uncooked))
Suggested tools
- Knife
- Cutting board
- 1 Pan with lid preferably glass
Preparation
This preparation does not use the cuttlefish ink.
You can rescue it and store it for another recipe.
For the detailed step-by-step procedure you can read the tutorial by clicking the following link: freezing cuttlefish ink in tomato sauce | without crystals and granules.
On YouTube you can find a very clear video about the cleaning of cuttlefish which describes in detail how to recover the ink sac.
In short
Wash the cuttlefish under running water and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Remove the eyes and the beak and extract the bone.
Rinse again.
Proceed to remove the entrails.
The extraction of the bone will have opened part of the mantle:
– cut the skin that covered the bone to expose the cavity that contains the entrails;
– gently remove the entrails by pulling them out or cutting them with a small knife: the eggs, seminal sacs and the ink sac will come out in a single block, then separately the livers and the gills.
The eggs and the seminal sacs are a real delicacy and the livers are also edible.
The gills should be discarded.
Locate the ink sac and separate it carefully intact so as not to spill its contents; the walls are very thin and break easily, so have a small glass or bowl at hand in case you need to collect the content quickly.
Skin the cuttlefish: note that the skin is edible so this is not necessary:
– peel the skin by pulling it along the mantle from one side and the other.The cuttlefish is cleaned and ready for cooking, whole or portioned.
Whether fresh or thawed, take the cuttlefish out of the fridge at least half an hour before cooking.
Rinse again.
Pat dry with kitchen paper.Cut the cuttlefish into strips.
In a pan heat a sprinkle of garlic powder, a couple of whole dried red chilies and a few parsley stems.
Deglaze with about 2 fl oz of white wine.Add the cuttlefish including the eggs and seminal sacs and brown over high heat.
Remove the red chilies and parsley stems from the pan.Add a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce.
Add salt and grind the pepper.Cook the pasta al dente, drain it and quickly rinse under running water.
Meanwhile, warm the cuttlefish.Pour the pasta into the pan with the cuttlefish and toss.
Plate.
Grind a little more pepper.Your light cuttlefish pasta is ready.
Enjoy your meal.
The finishing touch
A sprinkle of bottarga and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil!Cuttlefish pasta is a complete dish; add your portion of vegetables to compose a balanced meal or one-plate dish that helps keep blood sugar stable.
Storage, tips and variations
For a more Mediterranean and flavorful variation, add a handful of capers.
Use whole wheat pasta to increase fiber content.
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
Molluscs and cholesterol
In our dietary scheme, squid and cuttlefish, octopus and squid are among the foods recommended to be consumed occasionally.
Although these molluscs have lean meat, they are a source of cholesterol, so intake should be limited.
Nutritional guidelines recommend a dietary cholesterol intake below 300 mg per day, a limit that can drop to 200 mg per day in the presence of hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia.
Therefore, cuttlefish does not directly affect blood sugar, but in cases of hyperglycemia, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes it should be eaten in moderation.
What is bottarga?
Tuna bottarga consists of salted and dried tuna eggs.
Mullet (grey mullet) bottarga consists of salted and dried mullet eggs.
It is caloric but used in small quantities, grated or powdered, to add flavor.
Calories come mainly from high biological value proteins and fats while carbohydrates are absent.
It’s a bit like adding grated cheese to a pasta that isn’t fish-based.
It is also a good source of omega-3.
In Sicily bottarga is a widely used ingredient; I usually buy it when I’m in the Marzamemi area — a small fishing village where historic fish processing plants are located — Noto or Syracuse.
