Spaghetti with squid ink – Spaghetti al nero di seppia
A Venetian recipe for squid ink spaghetti with pieces of tender cuttlefish, white wine, garlic, olive oil and parsley. Black, iodized and shiny pasta, perfect for an original Italian dinner.
Pour: 4 personnes
Ingredients
- 50 to 400 g spaghetti or linguine
- 600 g whole cuttlefish or 400 to 450 g cleaned
- 1 c. tablespoon of squid ink or squid ink bags
- 1 small onion or 2 shallots finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 10 to 12 cl dry white wine
- 3 to 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 nice handful of flat-leaf parsley chiseled
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 1 c. tablespoon tomato paste or 80 g passata optional
Préparation
- Prepare the cuttlefish. Clean the cuttlefish if necessary, keeping the ink bags intact. Cut it into thin strips or small cubes.
- Sauté the herbs. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over low heat. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
- Cook the cuttlefish. Add the cuttlefish pieces and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Deglaze. Pour in the white wine and reduce for 2 minutes.
- Bring to a simmer. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water, cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes over low heat, until the cuttlefish is tender. Add the tomato after the wine if using.
- Cook the pasta. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Reserve a large ladle of cooking water before draining.
- Add the ink. Dilute the ink with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cooking water. Pour it into the sauté pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Season with pepper and adjust the salt.
- Mix. Add the spaghetti and sauté it in the sauce for 30 to 60 seconds with a little cooking water until you have a shiny black sauce.
- Serve. Remove from the heat, add the chopped parsley and serve immediately, without parmesan.
Notes
Tomatoes are optional: use very little so as not to cover the taste of the ink.
If the cuttlefish is still firm after 15 minutes, cook slightly over low heat.
Always keep more cooking water than you need.
One tablespoon of ink is usually enough for four people.
Ink stains easily: be careful with clothes and light worktops.
