Stuffed Calamari With Snapper And Fregola In A Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce Recipes

SQUID INK PASTA WITH SHRIMP AND CHERRY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Add the shrimp shells to a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer until it has reduced by half. Strain and keep on the heat at a low simmer until ready to use.
• Add the olive oil, fennel, onions, a pinch of salt and crushed red pepper flakes in a saute pan over medium heat. Let the fennel and onions cook until translucent. Then add the tomatoes, garlic, oregano and white wine. Let it reduce until there is about 1/4 cup of liquid left. Then add the squid, shrimp and 1/2 cup of the shrimp stock. Stir in the parsley.
• Cook the fresh squid ink pasta in salted boiling water until tender, but still has a bite. Add the cooked pasta to the saute pan and toss to coat. Garnish the pasta with fennel fronds, a drizzle of olive oil and grated Parmesan.
• Mound the flour on a clean, dry work surface. Make a hole (this is also called a well) in the center of the flour pile that is about 8 inches wide (bigger is definitely is better here). Crack the eggs into the hole and add the egg yolk, olive oil, squid ink and some salt.
• Using a fork, beat the eggs together with the olive oil, squid ink and salt; then begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture, being careful not to break the sides of the well or else the egg mixture will run all over your board and you will have a big mess! Also, don't worry about the lumps. When enough flour has been incorporated into the egg mixture that it will not run all over the place, begin to use your hands to really get everything well combined. If the mixture is tight and dry, wet your hands and begin kneading with wet hands. When the mixture has really come together into a homogeneous mixture, THEN you can start kneading.
• When kneading, it is VERY important to put your body weight into it; get on top of the dough to really stretch it and not to tear the dough. Using the heels of your palms, roll the dough to create a very smooooooth, supple dough. When done, the dough should look VERY smooth and feel almost velvety. Kneading will usually take from 8 to 10 minutes for an experienced kneader, or 10 to 15 minutes for an inexperienced kneader. Put your body weight into it; you need to knead! This is where the perfect, toothsome texture of your pasta is formed. Get in there and have fun!
• When the pasta has been kneaded to the perfect consistency, wrap it in plastic and let it rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes. If using immediately, do not refrigerate.
• Roll and cut the pasta into the desired shape.
• How smooth and supple!

STUFFED AND GRILLED CALAMARI APPETIZER

Steps:

• For the filling: Saute leeks in olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add shallot and garlic and saute 3 minutes. Add wine, parsley, vinegar, tarragon, salt, chile flakes and lemon juice and turn heat to high. Cook until reduced 85 percent, 3 to 5 minutes
• Turn heat to medium and add butter. Let melt, then add prawns. Cook, stirring, until just done, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in breadcrumbs to absorb any remaining liquids and remove from heat.
• Transfer to a bowl and chill completely before stuffing calamari.
• For the calamari: Insert a funnel into the open end of a calamari.
• Fill the funnel about halfway with the filling and push it into the calamari, filling it only three-quarters of the way full, to allow for shrinkage as it cooks. Use a toothpick to skewer the tentacles to the opening of the calamari. Repeat with remaining filling and calamari.
• Preheat a grill or saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook the calamari, 2 minutes per side.
• Arrange grilled calamari on a serving dish and serve with warm Roasted Yellow Bell Sauce and sprinkled with Fried Capers.
• Roast pepper on open flame of stovetop burner, turning as outside blackens, until roasted on all sides. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let cool for 5 minutes. Remove outer burnt skin of pepper, cut into quarters and remove stem and seeds.
• Place pepper in a small food processor.
• Steep garlic in hot cream for 2 minutes, then add to processor. Add butter, parsley, shallot, vinegar, salt and lemon juice and process to make a smooth puree.
• Rinse capers with water, then squeeze with hands to express any juices. Drain very well.
• Heat oil to 350 degrees F in a small saucepan over medium heat. Carefully add capers to hot oil and fry until darkened in color and capers have become crispy, approximately 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS STUFFED CALAMARI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse the calamari tubes and pat dry.
• In a large bowl, stir together the onions, 6 cloves garlic, shrimp, crabmeat and lemon juice. Spoon some of this mixture into each squid tube and seal the ends by 'sewing' with a toothpick. Arrange in a single layer in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cream cheese and 2 cloves garlic. Cook and stir until cream cheese has melted. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook until heated through and then remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and pepper. Pour over all of the calamari tubes in the baking dish. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of Romano cheese on top of each one.
• Bake uncovered until the cheese is browned and sauce is bubbly. While the calamari is baking, Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain. Serve the stuffed calamari and sauce over a bed of linguine.

BRAISED CALAMARI STUFFED WITH SHRIMP, SPINACH AND HERBS

Steps:

• To make the calamari:
• Roughly chop 3 of the calamari tubes and add to a food processor with the coarsely chopped shrimp and garlic. Pulse into a coarse paste. Remove to a large bowl and add the spinach, eggs, bread crumbs, cheese, herbs, and pinch of crushed red pepper. Season with salt and stir to combine. The mixture should be a little chunky but moist and holding together. Test the seasoning of the mix by making a mini patty, cooking it in a small pan and eating it. It should taste really good! If it doesn't it is probably missing salt. Add more salt, to taste. Divide the stuffing among the 8 remaining calamari bodies and secure closed with toothpicks.
• To make the sauce:
• Coat a large, wide skillet or saucepan with olive oil and add the onions and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Season with salt and put the saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onions until they are soft and aromatic, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the wine and cook until the wine has reduced by half. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill or puree them in a food processor and add them and 1 cup of water to the pan. Season with salt, to taste, and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.
• Add the calamari to the pan and cook for 20 to 25 minutes turning them over halfway through the cooking time. Remove the calamari from the pan and remove the toothpicks. Reduce the sauce to thicken, if needed. Arrange the calamari on a serving platter and cover with the sauce before serving.
• Deliciouso!

FREGOLA WITH CLAMS AND MUSSELS

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine the chicken stock, water, and 1 tablespoon salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• While the pasta is cooking: Heat 1/4 cup of the oil, over medium-high heat, in a large Dutch oven. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the Marsala wine and grape tomatoes, and cook for 1 minute, scraping the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the clams and mussels to the pan. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook until all the shellfish have opened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened shellfish.
• Using tongs, remove the shellfish from the pan and reserve. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large serving bowl. Pour the shellfish cooking liquid over the fregola. Add the remaining olive oil and 1/4 cup of the parsley and toss. Place the reserved shellfish on top of the fregola and garnish with the remaining parsley.

STUFFED CALAMARI

Steps:

• Clean squid. Remove tentacles and fins. Boil tentacles and fins for 15 minutes. Drain and cool. Chop finely. In mixing bowl, combine ricotta, egg, cheese, parsley, chopped tentacles and fins, salt and pepper. Stuff squid with cheese mixture. Close each end with a toothpick. After stuffed, dredge in flour. Heat the oil in large pan and saute squid until brown on all sides. Remove from pan. Drain oil from pan. Add garlic and white wine. Bring to a boil, turn heat down to a simmer and reduce to half. Add tomatoes, salt pepper, and oregano. Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes. In roasting pan, place squid and pour over tomatoes. Cover pan with foil, bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

STUFFED CALAMARI

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the taralli until it forms coarse crumbs. Measure 1 1/4 cups of the crumbs. Pulse the squid tentacles in the food processor to chop them fine, and pat them very dry with paper towels.
• In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. When shimmering, add the squid tentacles, and spread them out. Sear until golden brown, about 5 minutes, then add the butter, garlic and red-pepper flakes to taste. Cook, stirring, until the garlic just starts to color, about 1 minute.
• Add the shrimp, season with salt and cook until just pink, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, and simmer for 1 minute. Turn off the heat, and stir in the taralli crumbs and lemon zest. The crumbs should look like wet, clumpy sand. If the mixture is too dry, sprinkle in a little more wine, and allow the filling to cool until just warm.
• Stuff each squid body with the filling, leaving the bottom and top inches unfilled (the stuffing will expand as it cooks). Secure the tops with toothpicks, and season all over with salt.
• Make the sauce: In a wide, deep pan, warm 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add red-pepper flakes to taste and the garlic, and cook until fragrant and just beginning to color. Stir in the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper.
• Bring the tomatoes to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes. Add the calamari and any extra stuffing, and bring back to a very gentle simmer.
• Cover the pan, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat to make sure the sauce maintains a lazy bubble. Adjust with salt to taste. Garnish with the parsley. Serve with bread or pasta.

SPICY CALAMARI WITH FREGOLA

Steps:

• Spread the calamari on a baking sheet and pat dry as best you can with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, wide skillet over high heat. Add calamari and quickly stir-fry, cooking for only 1 minute, until puffed. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.
• Return pan to stove, reduce heat to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add crushed red pepper, anchovy and garlic and let sizzle, then add onions and stir well.
• Season onions generously and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened and faintly colored. Add saffron and wine and simmer for 1 minute, then add tomato and broth. Adjust heat so sauce simmers gently for about 10 minutes, until flavors are well mingled. Taste for salt and hot pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil. Add fregola and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and keep warm.
• Add par-cooked calamari to the sauce over high heat. Add basil leaves and stir well until everything is heated through and calamari are completely cooked, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a warm serving bowl and fold in cooked fregola. Sprinkle with oregano, add a drizzle of olive oil, if desired, and serve.