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Calamari Fra Diavolo over Linguine

3.8

(1)

There was a time when calamari was not much consumed in America and it was considered a cheap fish. But Italians love calamari, and it became the fish of choice of the Italian immigrants. You can find calamari today as a delicacy in contemporary restaurants of every ethnicity. Spicy calamari with linguine is a trademark of Italian American restaurants all over America.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta pot
1 pound linguine
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes
28-ounce can plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound cleaned calamari, bodies cut into 1-inch rings, tentacles roughly chopped

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta. Stir the linguine into the boiling water.

    Step 2

    Pour 4 tablespoons of the olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, toss in the sliced garlic, and cook until it sizzles, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with the peperoncino, let it toast for a minute, then pour in the tomatoes. Slosh out the tomato can with a cup of pasta water, add that to the sauce, and stir. Season with the oregano and salt. Bring to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, to thicken the sauce and develop the flavors, about 8 to 10 minutes.

    Step 3

    When the sauce is ready, stir in the calamari and simmer until just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. When the pasta is al dente, drain and toss it directly into the sauce. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, toss well to combine, and serve immediately.

Cover of the cookbook featuring the author with a table full of fresh herbs and vegetables.
Reprinted with permission from Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2011 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.
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