Stuffed Squid Recipe
- 8 (5- to 6-inch-long) cleaned squid with tentacles (1 1/2 lb total), rinsed
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (14- to 15-oz) can stewed tomatoes, puréed in a blender or food processor
- 15 fresh basil leaves
- Rounded 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 oz finely grated aged Pecorino cheese (1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup finely ground fresh bread crumbs (from an Italian loaf)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- Special equipment: 8 wooden picks
- Finely chop tentacles. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté tentacles, stirring, until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl and cool.
- Stir tomatoes into oil in pot along with basil, sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.
- While sauce simmers, stir together Pecorino, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, eggs, sautéed tentacles, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Gently stuff each squid body with a slightly rounded tablespoon of bread-crumb mixture and pat squid to distribute filling evenly. Weave a wooden pick horizontally across wide opening of each squid to seal. (During cooking, stuffing will expand and squid will shrink, forming a rounded, well-stuffed squid.)
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté squid, turning over once, until browned and any liquid given off is evaporated, about 6 minutes total. Add squid to tomato sauce and simmer, covered, turning occasionally, until squid is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Discard picks and serve squid with sauce.
