Equipment
Ingredients
Squid
- 600 g large squid tubes, cleaned and patted dry
Stuffing
- 300 g ricotta cheese, drained of excess liquid
- 150 g fresh spinach, washed
- 50 g parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 garlic, minced
- g ground nutmeg
- 3 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Tomato Wine Sauce
- 30 ml olive oil
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 800 g crushed tomatoes, canned
- 10 g fresh basil, torn
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Inspect the squid tubes to ensure the cartilage pen has been entirely removed, and pat them completely dry inside and out.
Place the fresh spinach in a skillet over medium heat and cook for 3 minutes until fully wilted. Transfer to a kitchen towel, let cool slightly, and squeeze out as much water as possible. Chop finely.
In a mixing bowl, combine the drained ricotta cheese, chopped spinach, grated parmesan, beaten egg, 1 minced garlic clove, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Stir until the mixture is uniform.
Fill each squid tube two-thirds full with the ricotta mixture. Secure the open ends tightly by weaving a wooden toothpick through the flesh.
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and the remaining 3 cloves of minced garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
Pour the dry white wine into the Dutch oven to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 3 minutes until the liquid reduces by half.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Season with an additional pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
Nestle the stuffed squid tubes into the simmering tomato sauce. Cover the Dutch oven with its lid, transfer to the preheated oven, and bake for 40 minutes until the squid is incredibly tender and the internal temperature of the filling reaches 74°C (165°F).
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Carefully remove and discard the toothpicks. Garnish with fresh torn basil before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Moisture is the enemy of a good filling. Take the extra time to ring out the wilted spinach in a kitchen towel until it feels completely dry.
- Squid follows the rule of extremes: it must be cooked for either 2 minutes over high heat, or 40 to 60 minutes over low heat. Anything in between results in a tough, rubbery texture.
- If your squid comes with tentacles, do not discard them. Chop them finely and sauté them with the onions for extra depth of flavor in your sauce.
- Always choose a crisp, dry white wine that you would enjoy drinking. Sweet wines will negatively alter the balance of the tomato sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store submerged in the tomato sauce to prevent the squid from drying out.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze in an airtight container with sauce. The squid texture may become slightly softer upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat until the sauce simmers and the stuffing reaches 74°C (165°F).
