Calamarata con Broccoli, Mandorle e Calamari

Calamarata con Broccoli, Mandorle e Calamari is a pasta dish from the Marche region of Italy, particularly associated with the port city of Ancona. The dish combines thick, ring-shaped calamarata pasta with tender calamari, broccoli, and toasted almonds, creating a harmony of sea and land flavors.

The dish’s origin lies in the cucina povera tradition of Italian coastal communities, where cooks paired inexpensive, readily available seafood with seasonal vegetables and nuts. Calamarata pasta, named for its resemblance to calamari rings, was designed to mirror the texture and shape of the seafood it accompanies.

A great version of this dish achieves a delicate balance: the broccoli should be tender but not mushy, the calamari cooked just until opaque to avoid toughness, and the almonds toasted to bring out their nutty depth. The pasta should be cooked al dente and finished in the pan with the sauce to absorb the flavors. Osteria del Baffo in Ancona, cited by Where The Foodies Go, is noted for its exemplary preparation, likely emphasizing local, fresh ingredients.

Regional variations exist across Italy’s southern coasts. In Sicily, cooks might add pine nuts and raisins for sweetness, while in Puglia, the dish could incorporate cherry tomatoes or a pinch of peperoncino for heat. Some versions substitute the almonds with breadcrumbs for added crunch. Regardless of the variation, the core elements—calamarata, calamari, and broccoli—remain central to this rustic, satisfying pasta.