Stuffed Calamari

Stuffed calamari is a very versatile and flavorful dish. Here’s a recipe you might like, and remember, depending on the ingredients you have available, we might add an Italian touch to make the dish even more special.

Ingredients

• Large calamari, cleaned, 4
• Breadcrumbs, 100 g
• Garlic, 2 cloves
• Chopped parsley, to taste
• Egg, 1
• Grated Parmesan cheese, 50 g
• Pitted black olives, 50 g
• Salted capers, 1 tablespoon
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• Dry white wine, 100 ml

Preparation

1. Start by finely chopping the garlic and parsley.
2. In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with garlic, parsley, egg, Parmesan, chopped olives, and desalted capers. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Fill each calamari with the mixture, without pressing too hard, and close the opening with a toothpick.
4. In a large pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil and place the stuffed calamari in it. Brown for a couple of minutes on each side.
5. Deglaze with the white wine, cover with a lid, and cook for about 20-30 minutes on medium-low heat, turning occasionally.
6. If the mixture becomes too dry during cooking, you might add a little water to keep the calamari soft and succulent.
7. Once ready, serve the calamari hot, perhaps with a side of sautéed vegetables or a fresh salad.

A completely Italian touch might be the addition of some chopped fresh tomato or tomato purée to the stuffing to give an extra note of flavor and color to the dish.

Trivia

Stuffed calamari is a classic of Mediterranean cuisine and lends itself to numerous variations. In some regions of Italy, the filling can also include minced mixed fish or typical local ingredients such as ricotta or pecorino.