Calamarata is a classic Neapolitan pasta featuring succulent calamari bathed in a light and brothy tomato sauce. The thick ringed Calamarata pasta catches the sauce and the calamari adds a light and briny flavor. Make this authentic Italian dish with just a few ingredients in 20 minutes!
1lbsquidcleaned, sliced into 1-inch rings and tentacles whole
½cupwhite wine
1lbcherry tomatoeshalved
¼teaspooncrushed red pepper
1teaspoonsea saltto taste
1tablespoonfresh flat leaf parsleyminced, plus more for garnish
Instructions
Prepare Squid - Cut the squid into 1-inch rings and keep the tentacles whole.
1 lb squid
Heat oil and garlic - Press the side of your knife blade onto the garlic clove and gently press with your hand to crush the clove, while leaving it whole. This will release garlic oil into the sauce. Then, in a large pan or braiser, heat olive oil on medium heat and add garlic cloves.
2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 whole garlic cloves
Add ingredients - After 1 minute, stir in squid rings and tentacles to the pan. After 2 minutes, add the white wine and let cook until the white wine evaporates. Use tongs to remove garlic, then stir in the tomatoes. Stir in chili flakes, sea salt, and parsley. Let the sauce simmer for 12 minutes. The squid will be tender, but not chewy.
1 lb squid, ½ cup white wine, 1 lb cherry tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley
Cook pasta - While the sauce cookes, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and season generously with kosher salt. Cook pasta per the packaging instructions, or until al dente. Reserve one cup of starchy pasta water and drain the rest.
1 lb Calamarata pasta
Combine pasta and sauce - Stir in a couple tablespoons of pasta water in the sauce and add the pasta to the pan. Gently stir to coat the pasta in the sauce. Add a bit more pasta water a tablespoon at a time if the pasta is dry.
Garnish and serve - Season with flaky sea salt to taste and garnish with a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley. Serve in a serving dish or in bowls and serve immediately.
1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley
Notes
Storage and Reheat InstructionsStore leftovers in an air-tight container and keep in the fridge up to 1 day. To reheat leftovers, heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a pan over low-medium heat. Add the leftover pasta and use tongs to gently separate the pasta in the pan to cook. Place a lid on top of the pan and allow it to reheat, about 2-3 minutes. These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.Top Tips
Defrost squid - If using frozen squid, defrost overnight in the refrigerator before cooking.
Serve with bread - Enjoy this pasta with a delicious baguette or roll to dip in the brothy tomato sauce. In Italian, this is called "fare la scarpetta," or "make the little shoe."