Pasta al nero di seppia Spaghetti with cuttlefish ink If you ask your fishmonger to prepare the cuttlefish for you, make sure he gives you the ink separately. The sweet-tasting ink is stored inside the body of the cuttlefish (which looks similar to a squid, but is bigger), ready to squirt at enemy fish. Sometimes the sac can get punctured when the cuttlefish is caught, but most fishmongers sell the ink in jars or sachets, so even if you are unlucky and there is none inside the cuttlefish, you will be able to buy some.
Serves 4 450g cuttlefish, cleaned and with its ink 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon garlic oil (see page 60) 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 400g spaghetti
Cut about two-thirds of the cuttlefish into pieces, then cut the remainder into thin strips. Heat half the olive oil with the garlic oil until the garlic in the oil turns golden. Add the pieces of cuttlefish, reserving the strips, then add the tomatoes, season and add the ink. Cook for another 15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil, add salt, then put in the spaghetti and use a fork to curl the pasta around the pan, so that it is all submerged under the water quickly. Cook for about a minute less than the time given on the packet, so that it is al dente. Drain, reserving the cooking water. While the pasta is cooking, heat the rest of the olive oil in a frying pan, put in the strips of cuttlefish, and move them around the pan. The moment the strips turn opaque, take the pan off the heat and drain them on kitchen paper. Toss the drained pasta with the cuttlefish sauce, adding a little of the cooking water if needed to loosen. Serve with the strips of cuttlefish on top.
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HACP_NP_MIS_226_40845.pgs 02.08.2011 15:02
Homer4.6
HACP_NP_MIS_227_40847.pgs 02.08.2011 15:02
Homer4.6