L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES FRANK FARIELLO E v e r y b o d y , i t s e e m s , l o v e s fried calama- ri. But there are l o t s o f o t h e r ways to enjoy this tasty mol- lusk. It's delicious braised w i t h p e a s i n t h e R o m a n manner, for example, or with greens, after the Florentines. B u t I t h i n k c a l a m a r i really give its best when fil- led with a savory bread stuf- fing and simmered in a light tomato sauce. The stuffing adds heft and the sauce adds s a v o r : t h e r e s u l t i s b o t h rustic and elegant. Stuffed calamari may be slightly fussier to prepare than some other recipes, but, as they say, the extra effort is well worth it. Y o u c a n s e r v e i t a s a second course or, in small portions, an antipasto. Any leftover sauce is fabulous over spaghetti or linguine. Ingredients 500g (1 lb) squid, cleaned For the stuffing: The tentacles from the squid, finely minced 1 clove of garlic, finely minced 1-2 anchovy fillets White wine 1 0 0 g ( 3 - 1 / 2 o z ) s t a l e bread, cut into small cubes, soaked in water and squee- zed dry (or breadcrumbs) A handful of olives, rou- ghly chopped A handful of capers, well rinsed A sprig of fresh parsley, finely minced A pinch of dry oregano 1 egg Salt and pepper A h a n d f u l o f r a i s i n s , soaked until soft and squee- zed dry (optional) A h a n d f u l o f p i n e n u t s (optional) To finish the dish: 1 clove of garlic 1 0 0 m l ( 1 / 4 c u p ) w h i t e wine, or more if needed 250g (1 cup) passata di pomodoro or chopped can- ned or fresh tomatoes Olive oil Salt Directions Clean the squid if need be and separate the tentacles from the body. Mince the squid tentacles as finely as you can manage. Heat olive oil in a skillet a n d a d d t h e g a r l i c a n d anchovy. When the garlic is just beginning to give off its aroma, add the tentacles and give them a good stir. Pour over the wine and let simmer for a few minutes. Add the bread (or bread- crumbs), olives, capers, par- sley, plus the raisins and p i n e n u t s i f u s i n g . G i v e everything a turn, and keep s t i r r i n g u n t i l y o u h a v e a smooth, soft but compact m i x t u r e t h a t c o m e s a w a y from the bottom of the pot. A d d a b i t m o r e w i n e i f i t looks dry or some bread- crumbs if it looks too loose. Taste and adjust for seaso- n i n g , t h e n t r a n s f e r t o a mixing bowl and let the stuf- fing mixture cool. W h e n t h e i n g r e d i e n t s have completely cooled, add the egg and mix well. Fill the squid sacs with the stuffing mixture, either using a s m a l l s p o o n o r — m u c h easier—a pastry bag. Leave some space at the open end and close the squid sacs with a toothpick. In a sauté pan large enou- gh to fit all the squid in one layer, gently sauté a garlic clove in olive oil. When it is j u s t b e g i n n i n g t o b r o w n , remove it. Add the squid and turn them in the oil until they begin to stiffen and turn an opaque white. Then add the wine and let simmer for a few minutes. Add the tomato, stir to mix it thoroughly into the cooking juices and cover. Let the squid braise until tender, probably a good 30-45 minu- tes (or longer if your squid is very large). Serve the squid with their sauce while still warm but not piping hot. Notes Most squid sold in this country is pre-cleaned of its inedible bits, but if you have whole squid on hand, you'll need to clean it by removing its skin, separating its tenta- cles from its body, and remo- ving the innards from the body. You can use (within rea- son) any size of squid you prefer. As a general rule, the larger the squid, the easier it will be to fill, although you'll need to increase the braising time according to size. You c o u l d e v e n u s e c u t t l e f i s h (seppie) if you can find them, although, again, the braising Stuffed calamari in tomato sauce: simple yet oh-so-delicious! (Copyright: Dreamstime) Calamari ripieni (Stuffed calamari) Continued to page 28

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