Boys of Cooking

Note: there are two ways to cook this and I’ve switched around to braising the squid to make sure it’s tender. The alternative is to add the squid near the end of the cooking time — within minutes of adding the pasta, and that also results in tender squid. That is a more traditional way to approach this.

Mince

• 1 large (or 2 medium) onions

In a pan (large enough to eventually hold the cooked pasta), saute over medium heat

• 2 TBL olive oil

Make sure the onion does not brown. Meanwhile, rinse and cut into bite-size pieces.

• 1 pound cleaned squid

When the onion is tender and translucent remove half and set aside for later. Add the squid, lower the temperature and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, boil some salted water for cooking the pasta. Remove the cooked squid and other ingredients from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add back the reserved, cooked onions. You might need ♦ATTNa glug more of olive oil. Add and cook briefly,

• 1 clove garlic, very finely minced

Then add

• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1 generous tsp squid ink
• 3 TBL chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes

Let bubble gently for a few minutes, taste and add salt, if needed.

Add the cooked, reserved squid and its liquid. Lower the heat and cover while the pasta is prepared. In the boiling salted water, start cooking the

• ½ pound perciatelli (bucatini)

When cooked, drain and add the pasta to the sauce. Stir to let the sauce fully coat the pasta, stirring. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper or cayenne if you like.

Drain the pasta and add it to the frying pan. ♦ATTNWhile wearing an apron or black clothes, stir until the sauce has thoroughly coated the pasta and the squid is cooked. The total cooking time for the squid is under 3 minutes or you will chewing an awful lot of rubber bands. The original recipe provides traditional cooking instructions where the squid is added and cooked briefly at the end.

Even though there is only ½ pound of pasta, this will make more than 2 servings because there’s so much squid.

Adapted from FXCuisine.com.