Spaghetti with Squid Ink

Spaghetti with squid ink is a dish from the Italian culinary tradition, particularly widespread in coastal regions. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 400 g of spaghetti
• 500 g of fresh squids (with their ink)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Chopped parsley to taste
• 1/2 glass of white wine
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste (optional)

Preparation

1. Clean the squids by removing the cartilaginous inner part, the beak and eyes, while preserving the ink sac. Cut them into strips or small pieces.
2. In a large pan, sauté the chopped garlic in extra virgin olive oil, then add the chopped squid. Sauté for a few minutes.
3. Add the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
4. Incorporate the squid ink, previously extracted from the sacs, and mix well to evenly distribute the color.
5. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, if necessary add a little water, and season with salt and pepper.
6. In the meantime, bring a pot of abundant salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti al dente.
7. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with the squid ink sauce, tossing everything together for a few minutes so that the spaghetti absorbs the flavors well.
8. Before serving, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

Fun Fact

Squid ink not only gives the dish a characteristic intense black color but also enriches the flavor with marine and iodine notes. In the past, squid ink was also used as ink for writing.

For a perfect pairing, you could serve the spaghetti with squid ink with a glass of fresh white wine, preferably a full-bodied white that can balance the richness of the dish.