I will always the remember the first I time I tried Stuffed Squid Sicilian-Style. My girlfriend asked me if the squid were pregnant. She had a point.
Stuffed Squid Sicilian-Style, or Calamari Ripieni in Italian, is a traditional dish from the island of Sicily. It’s a delicious and hearty meal that features tender squid stuffed with a flavorful mixture of breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, and capers.
Stuffed Squid Sicilian-Style is typically served as a main course, accompanied by a side of roasted vegetables or a simple green salad. It pairs well with a white wine, such as a Pinot Grigio or a Vermentino.
Stuffed Squid Sicilian-Style is a delicious and satisfying dish that is sure to impress your guests. It’s easy to make, yet looks impressive and tastes amazing. Give it a try and discover the rich and flavorful cuisine of Sicily!
Stuffed Squid Ingredients:
- Squid with tentacles
- Chard, or spinach chopped
- EVOO
- Onion, finely diced
- Fennel bulbs finely diced
- Salt and pepper
- Fennel fronds
- Fennel seed
- Anchovy fillets chopped
- Garlic cloves minced
- Oregano
- Crushed red pepper
- Pine nuts lightly toasted
- Lemon zest
- Dry bread crumbs
- Pecorino cheese
- Parsley for garnish
- Lemon wedges for serving
How to make Stuffed Squid:
Firstly, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Next, for the filling, blanch the greens, chop them finely, and set them aside. In a separate skillet, cook the onion and fennel in olive oil until softened. Then, add the fennel fronds, fennel seed, anchovy, garlic, oregano, and red pepper to the skillet.
After transferring the mixture to a bowl, add pine nuts, lemon zest, breadcrumbs, cheese, and the reserved chard. Mix well to combine all the ingredients. Subsequently, stuff the squid bodies with the prepared filling, place them in a baking dish, and season them. Don’t forget to drizzle them with olive oil.
Arrange the tentacles around the dish, season them as well, and drizzle with oil. Then, bake the dish for 15-20 minutes until browned. Optionally, you can broil it for more color. Finally, sprinkle the dish with parsley and serve it with lemon wedges.
This dish can be served at room temperature, making it versatile for various occasions. Each person gets 3-4 squid with tentacles, ensuring everyone gets a satisfying portion.
Stuffed Squid Tips and tricks:
To stuff the squid, you need to clean them and remove the tentacles, head, and innards.
Chop the tentacles and add them to the stuffing. Rinse the squid and pat them dry with paper towels. Then, fill each squid with the stuffing, leaving some space at the top. Spoon or your fingers to do this. Close the opening with a toothpick or a skewer to prevent the stuffing from falling out.
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- To serve the stuffed squid, garnish them with some chopped parsley and serve them hot or warm, with some crusty bread. You can also serve them with a green salad or some roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Fast and Easy Stuffed Squid Sicilian-Style
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds cleaned medium squid with tentacles
- 12 oz chard or spinach chopped, about 6 cups
- 1 large onion finely diced, about 1 1/2 cups
- 2 medium fennel bulbs finely diced, about 1 1/2 cups
- EVOO
- Salt and pepper
- 3 Tbsp chopped fennel fronds
- 2 tsp ground fennel seed
- 4 anchovy fillets chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Pinch of crushed red pepper
- ¼ cup pine nuts lightly toasted
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- ¾ cup dry bread crumbs
- 2 oz grated pecorino cheese about 1/4 cup
- 2 Tbsp chopped parsley for garnish
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Make the filling: Blanch the greens in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain and cool under running water. Squeeze well and completely dry and finely chop. Set aside.
- Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or wide saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and fennel, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and lightly colored, about 10 minutes.
- Add fennel fronds, fennel seed, anchovy, garlic, oregano and red pepper. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes more.
- Turn off heat and transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Add pine nuts, lemon zest, bread crumbs, cheese and reserved cooked chard. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Taste and correct seasoning.
- Using a teaspoon, put some filling in each squid body, taking care not to overstuff. Place stuffed squid in an earthenware baking dish in one layer. Season squid on both sides with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Season tentacles with salt and pepper and arrange them around the edge of dish (alternatively, arrange tentacles in a separate baking dish). Drizzle tentacles lightly with oil. Spoon any remaining stuffing over tentacles.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until are sizzling and lightly browned. You can broil for a few minutes if you want more color. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges. (May also be served at room temperature.) Serve each person 3 or 4 squid, with tentacles.
Nutrition
Stuffed Squid Pairs well with:
