by Mario Batali
from Simple Italian Food: Recipes from My Two Villages
(Clarkson Potter, 1998)
Serves 4
Mario Batali, chef and owner of Pó and Babbo restaurants in New York City, insists the secret to this appetizer is fresh calamari. So always grill your fishmonger to be sure that you’re buying the absolute best.
The secret to tender calamari is cooking time: it’s either flashed cooked, as in frying, or simmered for a long time until tender. Anything in between will result in a lot of little rubbery parts not suitable for your table.—David Leite
convert Ingredients
8 small whole calamari (about 1 pound)
For the stuffing
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup toasted bread crumbs
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup roughly chopped Italian parsley
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 plum tomatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
1 bunch chives, chopped
Directions
1. Remove the tentacles and clean the calamari, leaving the bodies whole. Set the tentacles aside. Place the calamari in an 8-quart pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 1 hour or until quite tender. Drain and cool.
2. Make the stuffing. Heat the olive oil in a 10- to 12-inch saute pan until smoking. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and saute until light golden brown, about 30 seconds. Add the bread crumbs and continue cooking until well mixed. Allow to cool then stir in the thyme, scallions and parsley.
3. Preheat the grill or broiler.
4. Stuff the cooled calamari with the bread crumb mixture and season with salt and pepper. Brush the stuffed calamari and tentacles with 1 tablespoon of the oil and grill or broil until nicely charred, about 10 minutes, turning once.
5. While the calamari grills, place the tomatoes, remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and the chives in a small mixing bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the calamari on a platter, top with spoonfuls of the tomatoes and serve.
Recipe © 1998 Mario Batali. All rights reserved.
