Pan-fried Stuffed Calamari

Stuffed calamari is a delicacy of Mediterranean cuisine, which lends itself to different interpretations. Here is a simple and tasty version of pan-fried stuffed calamari with an Italian twist.

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized calamari, cleaned with tentacles separated
• 100 g of stale bread
• Milk, enough to soften the bread
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 handful of chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 100 ml of dry white wine
• Tomato puree or crushed peeled tomatoes, about 200 ml
• 1 tablespoon of capers (optional)
• Taggiasca or Gaeta olives, pitted, a handful (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by soaking the stale bread in milk for a few minutes, then squeeze it out and crumble it in a bowl.
2. Add to the mixture finely chopped calamari tentacles, crushed garlic, parsley, Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well until you have a homogeneous mixture.
3. Stuff the calamari with the mixture, being careful not to overfill them. Seal them with a toothpick.
4. Heat some oil in a pan and brown the stuffed calamari on all sides. Then, deglaze with the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
5. Add the tomato puree, capers, and olives, lower the heat, cover with a lid, and cook for about 20-30 minutes, until the calamari are tender. If necessary, add a bit of water to prevent the sauce from drying out too much.
6. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Remove the toothpicks before serving the calamari hot.

Curiosity

The squid is part of the cephalopod family and is highly valued in Mediterranean cuisine. In addition to being tasty, it is also very versatile and adaptable to various recipes; it can be fried, grilled, or as in this case, stuffed. Remember that to achieve tender squid, it’s important not to undercook or overcook it, otherwise, it could turn rubbery.

Enjoy your meal!