Italian Calamarata Pasta (calamari and tomato sauce)

Italian Calamarata Pasta is a classic Neapolitan-style pasta featuring succulent calamari bathed in a light tomato sauce.

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 35

Course: Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean

Diet: Low Lactose

Keyword: calamarata, Italian Pasta Recipe, Italian Recipes, Italian Seafood Pasta

Difficulty: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 642kcal

Clean the squid by rinsing under cold, running water. Pull the head & tentacles from the body and cut the tentacles from the head, keep these for your dish.
Remove the cartilage (plastic-looking shard) and anything else remaining in the main body of the squid.
Once cleaned cut the body into calamari rings to a similar thickness of the pasta and set aside with the tentacles.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. When the water reaches rolling boil add 2 tbsp of salt and bring to boil again.
PREPARE THE SAUCE
Add EVOO to a large frying pan, add garlic and chili flakes. let the oil absorb the flavor of the aromas.
Add the calamari rings with a pinch of salt and fry until the calamari turns pale white. Add in your wine.
Once all the alcohol has evaporated, add in the tomatoes and reduce the heat, simmering for around 10-15 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the tomato paste and mix well.
During this time, add in your calamarata pasta to the salted boiling water & cook according to the packet instructions. Remember to check a good 2 minutes before the end of the cooking time to ensure it’s perfectly al dente.
Reserve a cup of pasta-water before draining the pasta. Once drained, add to the sauce mix well, adding 2-3 tablespoons of pasta-water as needed. Mix well for few more minutes.
Serve immediately in plate and sprinkle fresh chopped basil on top.