Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
- 25 g baby capers in brine
- 100 g coarse stale breadcrumbs
- 1 large free-range egg
- olive oil
- 15 g pecorino , or Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
- 1 clove of garlic
- ½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley (15g)
- 1 red onion
- 10 ripe cherry tomatoes
- 1 x 680g jar of passata
- 4 medium squid , cleaned, gutted (300g total), from sustainable sources
- 300 g dried spaghetti
- 2 sprigs of fresh basil
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Method
Peel and finely slice the onion and place in a casserole pan on a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil, stirring occasionally. Now, a great nonna trick: squeeze the tomatoes while submerged in a bowl of water to remove the seeds (and prevent them going everywhere!). Add the tomatoes to the pan with the passata. Simmer on a low heat while you stuff the squid.
Keeping the tentacles to one side, just over half-fill each squid tube with the breadcrumb mixture, pushing it right down into the tube but being mindful not to pack it too tightly. Use a cocktail stick or toothpick to seal or, like Franchina learnt from her grandparents, use a needle and thread. Stir the remaining capers into the sauce, then add the stuffed squid and tentacles. Simmer on a low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Use tongs to move the squid pieces to a board. Removing the sticks or thread, slice the tubes to reveal the filling, then arrange on a platter, spoon over a little sauce and pick over the basil. Drain the pasta, reserving a mugful of starchy cooking water, then toss with the remaining sauce, loosening with a splash of cooking water, if needed. Serve with a grating of pecorino, alongside that tasty braised squid.
