Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [151]
• Peel off all the partly mottled skin enveloping the sac. If using the whole sac to make stuffed squid, cut a tiny opening—no larger than ¼ inch—at the tip of the sac, hold the large open end of the sac under a faucet, and let cold water run through it. If slicing the sac into rings, first slice it, then wash the rings in cold water. Drain and pat thoroughly dry with cloth or paper towels.
Fried Calamari
For 4 servings, or more if served as an appetizer
2½ pounds whole squid OR 2 pounds cleaned squid, sliced into rings
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup flour, spread on a plate
A spatter screen
Salt
1. If cleaning the squid yourself, follow these directions. Slice the sac into rings a little less than ½ inch wide, and separate the cluster of tentacles into two parts. Whether cleaning it yourself or using it already cleaned, wash all parts in cold water and pat thoroughly dry with cloth or paper towels.
2. Pour enough oil into a frying pan to come 1½ inches up the sides, and turn on the heat to high.
3. When the oil is very hot—test it with 1 calamari ring, if it sizzles it’s ready—put the rings and tentacles into a large strainer, pour flour over them, shake off the excess flour, grab a handful of squid at a time, and slip it into the pan. Do not crowd the pan; fry the calamari in two or more batches, depending on the size of the pan. Squid may burst while frying, spraying hot oil. Hold the spatter screen over the pan to protect yourself.
4. The moment the calamari is done to a tawny gold on one side, turn it and do the other side. When done, use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer it to a cooling rack to drain or spread on a platter lined with paper towels. When all the calamari is cooked and out of the pan, sprinkle with salt and serve at once while still piping hot.
Note If the squid rings are rather small, they are fully cooked the moment they become colored a light gold. If they are medium to large in size, they will take just a few seconds longer.
Squid with Tomatoes and Peas, Tuscan Style
For 4 to 6 servings
2½ pounds small to medium whole squid OR 2 pounds cleaned squid, sliced into rings
1½ tablespoons onion chopped very fine
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons garlic chopped fine
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
¾ cup fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped, OR canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with their juice
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
2 pounds unshelled fresh peas OR 1 ten-ounce package frozen peas, thawed
1. If cleaning the squid yourself, follow these directions. Slice the sac into rings a little less than ½ inch wide, and separate the cluster of tentacles into two parts. Whether cleaning it yourself or using it already cleaned, wash all parts in cold water and pat thoroughly dry with cloth or paper towels.
2. Put the onion and olive oil in a large saucepan, and turn on the heat to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it becomes colored a pale gold, then add the garlic. When the garlic becomes lightly colored, add the parsley, stir once or twice, then add the tomatoes. Stir thoroughly to coat well and cook at a steady simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add the squid to the pot, cover, and adjust heat to cook at a slow simmer for 35 to 40 minutes. Add a few pinches of salt, some grindings of pepper, and stir thoroughly.
4. If using fresh peas: Shell them, add them to the pot, stir thoroughly, cover, and continue to cook at a slow simmer until the squid feels tender when prodded with a fork. It may take another 20 minutes depending on the squid’s size. Taste a ring to be sure it is fully cooked.
If using frozen peas: Add the thawed peas when the squid is tender, stir thoroughly, and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes.
5. Taste and correct for salt and pepper, transfer to a warm, deep serving platter, and serve promptly.
Ahead-of-time note You can stop the cooking at the end of Step 3 and resume it several hours or even a day later. Bring to a simmer before adding the peas. You may even complete the dish a day or two