Description
Calamari pasta with tender rings of squid simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce. An easy, elegant Italian seafood dinner.
Ingredients
1 lb calamari, cleaned, cut into ~3/4 inch rings + tentacles
1 lb calamarata pasta (or pasta of choice)
28 oz can whole tomatoes
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
1 sprig of fresh basil, plus more, torn, for garnish
4 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Get prepped. Gather all ingredients, keeping the calamari refrigerated until needed. Fill a large pot with water for cooking the pasta and bring to a boil. Place a large skillet on the stovetop for cooking the sauce. Take out a blender. Slice the garlic.
- Start the sauce. Add olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Turn heat to medium. Bring garlic to a sizzle for about 15 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. If using wine, stir it in, bring to a simmer, and reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, add whole tomatoes to a blender and puree until smooth.
- Finish the sauce. Add blended tomatoes to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in basil and ½ cup of water. Bring to a simmer, partially cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, adding additional water as needed, until the flavor of the sauce has developed. Remove the basil sprig.
- Cook the pasta. When the sauce is close to ready, cook the pasta. Season the pot of boiling water with salt (about 1-2 tablespoons of kosher salt per 4 quarts of water). Stir in pasta and cook 1-2 minutes short of al dente. Drain, reserving a cup of pasta water.
- Cook the calamari. While the pasta cooks, pat the calamari dry and season with salt and pepper. Add the drained pasta and raw calamari to the simmering sauce. Toss or stir constantly for about 1 minute, until the pasta is al dente and the calamari is opaque and just cooked through.
- Finish the pasta. Turn off the heat and stir in butter. Toss or stir until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Add pasta water 1-2 tbsp at a time to thin sauce, if needed. Serve topped with torn basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil and flaky salt, as desired. Enjoy.
Notes
Calamari - You can use fresh or frozen. I like using precut frozen rings to save time.
- To thaw, place the package in a bowl in the refrigerator overnight
- For a quick thaw, submerge the sealed package in cold water. Change the water every 15 minutes until thawed. Cook promptly once thawed.
Calamarata Pasta - Packages may contain 14 or 17.6 ounces; you can use the whole package. If needed, loosen the sauce with extra reserved pasta water.
Tomatoes- Look for San Marzano tomatoes from Italy or a good-quality domestic brand, such as Bianco DiNapoli.
Alternative Pastas - Spaghetti, Linguine, or Fettuccine all work well.
Wine - Choose a dry white wine you’d enjoy drinking, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Refrigerated leftover wine is okay for cooking if it still smells and tastes good; leave it out if you don’t have any.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of pasta
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 200mg +
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 68g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 195mg
