CALAMARATA PASTA WITH FRESH SQUID AND CHERRY TOMATOES
Calamarata pasta is a round type of pasta that often pairs with squid due to their round shape, making them perfect for a tasty seafood dish.
I had been wanting to make this type of pasta for days and was waiting for the right moment: I went to the fish market and bought three nice squids, I almost fainted at the price (almost 12 euros, but let’s not go there!!) and went home.
Choosing fresh and high-quality fish is essential, not only for flavor but also to ensure optimal nutritional intake, and once a week I have to guarantee a fundamental source of protein, omega-3, and other essential nutrients for my health, the little one in my belly, and the kids, even if they only ate the sauce, better than nothing 🙂
Let’s see how I made it.
(At the fish market, I had them remove at least the eyes because I’m hopeless at it!!)
EMIMETTOAIFORNELLI recommends:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons, Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 3 squid (fresh)
- 15 cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- Half package tomato pulp
- parsley (fresh)
- salt
- 9 oz pasta (calamarata)
Tools
- Frying Pan
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Pot
Steps
This is the slightly unpleasant part of the recipe: let’s start by cleaning the squid.
Start with the head: hold the squid with one hand and grab the head with the other. Gently twist the head and pull it away from the body.
All the liquids and ink will come out, use a glove to avoid making a mess or, if possible, ask the fishmonger to clean them for you.Continue cleaning: inside the body of the squid, you’ll find a sort of transparent skeleton called the quill. Gently remove it by grabbing it and pulling it towards you.
Empty the body of the squid by removing the innards. You can do this with your fingers or with a knife.
At this point, also remove the skin gently, being careful not to break the squid.
Make sure to rinse everything thoroughly under running water.
Cut the body into rings and the head into smaller pieces.
In a large pan, heat 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the cleaned garlic cloves and parsley stems, which you will remove post-cooking along with the garlic (if they end up in your mouth, they are good for the intestines, less so for our breath) 😉
After rinsing the cherry tomatoes well, cut them in half and add them to the pan along with the tomato pulp, season with salt to taste.
While the sauce is reducing, bring water to a boil to cook the pasta when it reaches a boil, and always salt to your liking.
At this point, while the water is boiling, we can add our squid to the sauce and cover with a lid: about 6/7 minutes and they are ready.
If you like, at this point, you can also add hot chili peppers.
Drain the pasta and add it to your sauce.
A nice sprinkle of chopped parsley and a few drops of lemon and the dish is ready.
The CALAMARATA PASTA WITH FRESH SQUID AND CHERRY TOMATOES is ready to be enjoyed.
