Stuffed squid

Squid are a pelagic species - they live in the open sea - that you usually find at a depth between 100 and 600 metres. They normally swim in large schools, and come to the surface during the night but stay in the depths during the day, feeding mainly on fish and shellfish.

They are fished from the end of the summer right into the winter, in all the waters of the archipelago, above all around the Island of Capraia where it is looked upon by the locals as their symbol dish. Every November the Squid Festival is held in Capraia, and includes fishing competitions as well as food and wine exhibitions and stalls.

Ingredients

6 squid of about 200 gr each, 1 kg tinned tuna fish, inside of 2 soft rolls soaked in milk, 500 g of whole or chopped, tinned tomatoes, 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan, 1 onion, 2 eggs (beaten), 3 garlic cloves, chopped parsley, chilli pepper, a glass of white wine.

Method

Wash squid, remove entrails and "quill", then rinse carefully under running water and dry.

Fry the tentacles in a little oil, then remove from the heat and chop finely. Mix with the inside of the bread, the tuna fish without the oil, the grated parmesan, the garlic and the chopped parsley. Add salt and chilli pepper to taste then add eggs and mix well.

Stuff the squid with this mixture and close the opening with a toothpick.

Gently fry the onion in a little oil, add the stuffed squid and turn them from time to time to stop them from cooking on one side only and from sticking. Add the white wine and the tomatoes - if using whole you can break them up with a fork. Add salt and leave to cook slowly for at least half an hour.

When cooked remove from heat and leave to sit for about 15 minutes. Slice crosswise, dress with their sauce and serve hot.

Recipe taken from the book "Zuppe e Stornelli" by Alvaro Claudi and Sergio Rossi