Paccheri with Cuttlefish and Pea Ragù

Method

1. Clean the cuttlefish: remove the beak and ink sac, then cut the body and tentacles into small cubes.
2. Prepare the soffritto: finely dice celery, carrot, and a blonde onion into small cubes.
3. In a large pot, combine the diced vegetables, a bunch of parsley (including stems), and a grated garlic clove. Add abundant extra virgin olive oil and sauté over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until softened.
4. Add the cubed cuttlefish, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and let it brown for about 10 minutes.
5. If desired, flambé with a splash of gin (or deglaze with white wine). Let the alcohol evaporate.
6. Add tomato passata and 130 g of tomato concentrate. Stir well and cook for a minute.
7. Add water or fish stock until the seafood is just covered. Cover with a lid and simmer on low heat for about 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes, until the cuttlefish is tender.
8. Meanwhile, blanch the peas in boiling salted water for 5 minutes, then drain and cool in cold water to preserve their color.
9. After one hour, add the blanched peas to the ragù and continue cooking for the remaining time.
10. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the paccheri pasta until 3 minutes before al dente. Reserve some pasta cooking water.
11. Transfer the pasta to the ragù and finish cooking over medium heat for 3 minutes, adding a splash of pasta water if needed to adjust consistency.
12. Serve the pasta on a plate or platter, generously topped with the ragù and peas.