Easy Italian squid pasta recipe from Abruzzo

Method4 steps · about 45 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Start with 450 g cleaned edible squid. If cleaning whole squid, separate the head and innards from the body, cut off the tentacles, remove their beak and pull the clear cartilage from inside the body; discard the head behind the tentacles, innards and cartilage. Rinse well; removing the outer skin is optional. Cut the body into thin rings and the tentacles into small pieces. Peel the 1–2 garlic cloves. Peel and chop the 40 g spring onions. Wash and quarter the 300 g cherry tomatoes. Wash and chop the chives, keeping some for serving.

   Uses 450 g cleaned squid (calamari or totani), body cut into thin rings and tentacles into small pieces · 300 g cherry tomatoes (10.5 ozs) (washed and quartered) · 40 g spring onions (1.5ozs) (peeled and chopped) · 1-2 garlic cloves (peeled) · Fresh chives, an unspecified amount, to chop and divide

2. 2

   Step 2: Sauté the prepared spring onions and whole garlic cloves from step 1 in the 3 tablespoons olive oil until soft. Add all the prepared squid and cook over high heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently so it does not burn. Lower the heat and add the quartered tomatoes, half a glass white wine, sauce salt and black pepper. Let the wine reduce, then cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic cloves. Stir in some of the chopped chives from step 1, keep the rest for serving, and take the sauce off the heat.

   Simmer squid sauce after its 5-minute sear · 20 minUses All prepared spring onions and garlic from step 1 · All 450 g prepared squid from step 1 · All 300 g quartered cherry tomatoes from step 1 · 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. · Half a glass white wine; the source does not specify glass volume · Salt for the squid sauce, to taste · Black pepper to taste; keep some for serving · Some of the chopped chives from step 1; keep the rest for step 4

3. 3

   Step 3: Cook the 320 g garganelli in boiling salted water until al dente, following the packet instructions. Before draining, reserve one ladle of its cooking water. Drain and mix the cooked pasta with all the squid sauce from step 2. If it seems dry, add a little of the reserved water and mix again; the reserved ladle need not all be used.

   Uses 320 g garganelli (11 oz) (or other pasta tubes) · Water for cooking garganelli; reserve a ladle before draining · Salt for the pasta water · All cooked squid and tomato sauce from step 2

4. 4

   Step 4: Serve the mixed pasta and squid sauce from step 3 with the remaining chopped chives from step 1. Add freshly ground black pepper and optional peperoncino flakes to taste.

   Uses All mixed pasta and squid sauce from step 3 · The remaining chopped chives held from step 1 · Freshly ground black pepper for serving, if desired · Optional peperoncino flakes, to taste