Fusilli with squid and pea cream is a fragrant and appetizing seafood first course, very rich and complete. It’s very easy to prepare, light, and suitable for both an important lunch and Sunday lunch. Peas pair very well with the flavor of squid, and the dish is very harmonious in taste.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Carnival, New Year's Eve
Ingredients
- 9 oz Fusilli
- 2 Squid (large)
- 9 oz Peas
- 1 Shallot
- as needed Extra virgin olive oil
- as needed Salt
- as needed Dry white wine
- as needed Pepper (ground)
Preparation
Clean and gut the squid. Wash them under running water and cut them into thin strips about 1/4 inch wide, which we’ll let drain in a colander.
In a large non-stick pan, sauté the finely chopped shallot in extra virgin olive oil over low heat. Add the squid, increase the heat, and let them brown for exactly 2 minutes, stirring often. Then transfer them to a plate, cover, and set aside.
In the same pan over high heat, add the peas, sauté them for 2-3 minutes, splash with 1/4 cup of wine, and let the alcohol evaporate. Salt, lower the heat, cover, and let cook for 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat and transfer half of the peas with their seasoning to a blender and blend them (you can also simply mash them with a fork) until you get a thick cream, which can be diluted with a little pasta cooking water if necessary. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil for the fusilli, salt it, and cook the pasta.
Drain the fusilli al dente (reserve a ladle of cooking water) and pour them into the pan, add the squid, pea cream, a grind of pepper, and mix to distribute the seasoning evenly; add some pasta cooking water, let it flavor for about a minute, and serve immediately.
Bon appetit
