Stuffed Cuttlefish

Stuffed cuttlefish is a tasty and exquisite dish. Here is the classic Italian recipe to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized cuttlefish, cleaned and with tentacles
• 100 g of stale bread
• 100 ml of milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 clove of garlic
• Chopped parsley to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 200 ml of tomato puree
• 1 glass of white wine

Preparation

1. Start by soaking the stale bread in milk for a few minutes. Squeeze it well and put it in a bowl.
2. Finely chop the cuttlefish tentacles and sauté them in a pan with a drizzle of oil and a clove of garlic for a few minutes. Allow to cool.
3. Add the sautéed tentacles to the bread and mix. Then add the egg, Parmesan, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper, and mix everything well.
4. Fill the cuttlefish bodies with the mixture without overstuffing, as the filling will tend to expand during cooking. Seal the opening with toothpicks.
5. In a large pan, fry a clove of garlic with oil. Place the stuffed cuttlefish in and brown them evenly.
6. Deglaze with the white wine and let it evaporate.
7. Add the tomato puree, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, turning the cuttlefish occasionally.
8. Ensure that the cuttlefish are tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened.

If you do not have tomato puree, you can use fresh peeled and finely chopped tomatoes, perhaps enriching the sauce with a little basil.

Trivia

It is said that stuffed cuttlefish is a typical dish in the cuisine of many seaside places, from small Ligurian villages to the most remote islands. Each region has its variant: some add pine nuts and raisins, some flavor with lemon, but all are united by the use of cuttlefish, a versatile mollusk with a delicate flavor.