Description
Turn humble squid into a fancy Italian appetizer, blending tender calamari with a savory, herbed bread crumb stuffing, brought together with a splash of white wine.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb cleaned calamari (tentacles and tubes)
- 2 slices white bread, crust removed and cubed
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon white wine
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1 large egg
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Filling:
- Soak the bread cubes in milk until absorbed.
- Heat half the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté half the minced garlic until fragrant.
- Add the calamari tentacles, cook for 2 minutes, then deglaze the pan with white wine and half the parsley. Season with salt, simmer for 2 minutes.
- Off the heat, mix in the soaked bread, bread crumbs, and egg until well combined. Adjust the texture with more bread crumbs if needed.
- Stuff and Cook the Calamari:
- Using a teaspoon or a piping bag, fill each calamari tube three-quarters full and seal with a toothpick.
- In a skillet, heat the remaining olive oil and garlic. Sauté the stuffed calamari, turning once until golden. Add wine, simmer for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
Notes
- Avoid overfilling the calamari to prevent bursting during cooking.
- Removing the garlic sprout can reduce bitterness and make it more digestible.
- For a stronger garlic flavor, mince all the garlic.
- Adjust the filling’s consistency with bread crumbs for the perfect texture.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian