Calamaro Ripieno alla Ligure
(Stuffed Squid Ligurian Style)
Ingredients:
8 medium squid
1/2 lb (200 grams) boiled spinach
3 eggs
Handful bread crumb
Handful grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Unrefined sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Optional: milk
For the sauce:
2 shallots
1 glass Vermentino (dry white wine)
Pulp of 4 ripe tomatoes
Leaves of 2 sprigs of parsley
Unrefined sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Directions:
Clean the squid by removing the transparent center bone, the intestines, the head and eyes. Cut the sack from the tentacles, and the wings from the sack. Wash them carefully. Boil the tentacles and wings briefly in boiling water.
Place the boiled spinach in a bowl, mince, and add the grated bread crumb, eggs, the minced tentacles, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and some olive oil. If it is too dry add a little milk to soften it.
Stuff the squid sacks with this filling and close them with toothpicks.
In a thick bottomed pan, brown the sliced shallots and then brown the squid. Wet with white wine, evaporate, add the tomato pulp and parsley and cook for 30 minutes adding some hot water or vegetable stock if necessary.
Season for salt and pepper.
Cool to room temperature and serve sliced in their juice in individual plates. Serves 4.