Stuffed Squid

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 8 squid, with tentacles, rinsed and cleaned (1 1/2 lb total)
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 (14 -15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, pureed
• 15 fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ounce finely grated aged pecorino cheese (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup finely ground fresh breadcrumb (from an italian loaf)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Recipe

• 1 finely chop tentacles. heat 1/4 cup oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté tentacles, stirring, until just cooked through, about 1 minute.
• 2 transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl and cool.
• 3 stir tomatoes into oil in pot along with basil, sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.
• 4 while sauce simmers, stir together pecorino, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, eggs, sautéed tentacles, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• 5 gently stuff each squid body with a slightly rounded tablespoon of bread-crumb mixture and pat squid to distribute filling evenly.
• 6 weave a wooden pick horizontally across wide opening of each squid to seal. (during cooking, stuffing will expand and squid will shrink, forming a rounded, well-stuffed squid.)
• 7 heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté squid, turning over once, until browned and any liquid given off is evaporated, about 6 minutes total.
• 8 add squid to tomato sauce and simmer, covered, turning occasionally, until squid is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. discard picks and serve squid with sauce.