Squid Stuffed With Spinach And Ricotta Cheese

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 50 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 12 squid, about 6 inches each, cleaned
• 1/2 lb ricotta cheese
• 2 lbs fresh spinach, steamed lightly, and liquid squeezed out
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 1/2 lbs plum tomatoes, pureed in blender
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts or 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds

Recipe

• 1 cut off tentacles so that you have just the body cavity.
• 2 make sure to keep it whole so you can stuff it without leaks.
• 3 reserve the tentacles.
• 4 mix together the ricotta, spinach, parmesan, pepper, nutmeg,parsley and egg; set aside.
• 5 heat the oil at medium in a large heavy skillet or saucepan.
• 6 add the garlic.
• 7 stir and cook for a few seconds.
• 8 add the tomatoes.
• 9 bring to a boil and add tomato paste.
• 10 lower heat and add rosemary.
• 11 simmer sauce for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• 12 while the sauce is simmering, stuff the body of each squid only about 1/3 full of the spinach/cheese mixture.
• 13 if you overstuff them, they will explode.
• 14 you might also want to poke a hole or two in the body of the squid.
• 15 fasten the opening of each squid with a toothpick.
• 16 after the sauce has cooked, place the stuffed squid in the simmering sauce.
• 17 add the tentacles to the sauce.
• 18 simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• 19 then turn carefully and simmer for an additional 3 minutes.
• 20 while the squid is cooking, melt the butter in a clean pan and toss the pine nuts in the butter until golden.
• 21 watch carefully; pine nuts have a tendency to burn.
• 22 lift out stuffed squid to a warm, flat serving dish with sides.
• 23 spoon sauce around and garnish with pine nuts.