Spaghettoni with Calamaretti

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add crushed garlic cloves and chili pepper. Cook gently, without browning, until fragrant.
2. Remove the garlic cloves from the oil, leaving the chili.
3. Increase the heat and add the cleaned, cut calamari. Sear for about 2 minutes, then remove them from the pan and set aside.
4. Deglaze the same pan with a splash of white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Let the alcohol evaporate.
5. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghettoni for about 5 minutes less than the package directions (so they will finish cooking in the sauce).
6. Blanch fresh parsley in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water to preserve the color.
7. Make the sauce: In a blender, combine the blanched parsley, a pinch of salt, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a little cold water. Blend until smooth, adding more water or oil if needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Set aside.
8. In a dry pan, toast the pine nuts over medium heat until golden and fragrant. Set aside.
9. When the pasta has boiled for about 5 minutes, transfer it directly to the pan with the calamari juices using tongs, adding a ladle of pasta water.
10. Add the parsley sauce to the pasta and toss over high heat, adding more pasta water as needed to create a creamy emulsion.
11. Return the reserved calamari to the pan and toss briefly just to warm through.
12. Turn off the heat. Plate the pasta in nests using tongs, top with the calamari, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts, and garnish with a bit of chili pepper.