Spaghetti with Cuttlefish Ink
by Chef Stefano Barbato · 938K subscribers on YouTube
Today we are making a spectacular first course: spaghetti with cuttlefish ink. The dish features fresh cuttlefish, its ink sacs, garlic, parsley, chili, and bronze-drawn spaghetti. The cuttlefish is cleaned, cut into strips, and slowly cooked with aromatics, then deglazed with white wine and enriched with the ink. The pasta is finished in the sauce for a flavorful, glossy result.
- Difficulty
- medium
Ingredients
11 items- CuttlefishFresh, cleaned, belly cut into strips, tentacles kept whole or halved.
- Cuttlefish InkInk sacs extracted from the cuttlefish; squeeze directly into pan.
- ParsleyFresh, chopped.
- Garlic1–2 cloves, sliced or chopped.
- SpaghettiPreferably bronze-drawn (trafilati al bronzo).
- Chili Pepper(optional) — Red chili pepper, to taste.
- Extra Virgin Olive OilFor sautéing and finishing.
- Fine SaltFine salt for seasoning the cuttlefish.
- Coarse SaltCoarse salt for the pasta water.
- White WineHalf a small glass for deglazing.
- Pepper(optional) — Black pepper, to taste.
Method
- Clean the cuttlefish: remove the bone, skin, beak, and internal organs. Carefully extract the ink sacs and set them aside. Keep the white flesh and the tentacles (ciuffi).
- Cut the cuttlefish belly into thin strips. Leave small tentacles whole; halve larger ones.
- Finely chop garlic and parsley. Have extra parsley for finishing.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a wok or large pan. Add the garlic and chili pepper (to taste). Sauté gently.
- Add a little chopped parsley to the oil, then add the cuttlefish tentacles first (they need longer cooking), followed by the belly strips. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the cuttlefish for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Deglaze with half a small glass of white wine and let it evaporate.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, and cook the spaghetti (preferably bronze-drawn) for about 10 minutes or until al dente.
- When the cuttlefish is almost done (about 2 minutes before the pasta is ready), squeeze the ink sacs directly into the pan, discarding any membranes. Stir well to incorporate the ink.
- Drain the pasta 2 minutes before the recommended cooking time and transfer it to the pan with the cuttlefish ink sauce. Add a little pasta water if the sauce seems dry. Toss vigorously to coat the pasta.
- Finish with fresh chopped parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Toss again briefly.
- Plate the spaghetti, spooning some cuttlefish pieces and sauce on top. Optionally, leftover ink sacs can be frozen for future use.
Chef Stefano Barbato
Professional chef938K subscribers on YouTube236.9M total channel views"Benvenuti nella mia cucina! Sono lo Chef Stefano Barbato e qui condivido con voi la mia passione per il buon cibo. Dalle tecniche professionali spiegate passo dopo passo alle ricette della tradizione italiana, il mio obiettivo è rendere la grande cucina accessibile a tutti. Che sia un primo cremoso o una delle mie 'bambine cattive' appena sfornate, ogni piatto è fatto con amore. Sarà buono o non sarà buono? Iscrivetevi per scoprirlo insieme a me! 👨🍳🇮🇹" Hola y bienvenidos a mi canal de video recetas en español los encuentra aquí https://www.youtube.com/user/ChefStefanoBarbatoEs Chef Stefano Barbato
