Nigella’s Pasta with Squid

In May, my refrigerator died. I was without a refrigerator for 12 days. It was awful. So what did we do? My husband and I went out to eat. A lot. We had to. It’s quite challenging to come up with ideas for meals when no refrigeration is available and it’s hot outside.

At first, it was fun for me, because it was a nice break from cooking. Until going out really got old.

To make things worse, I kept coming across more and more recipes that I wanted to prepare, and started to really miss cooking.

I never divulged that to my husband. Instead, I would make obnoxious comments, like “Hey, this is what most Americans do. They go out to eat! All the time.”

I guess when I think I might starve because I have no refrigerated food, pasta really appeals to me.

Specifically, there was a pasta recipe in Nigella Kitchen that got my attention.


It was simple, made with squid ring-shaped pasta, and containing squid rings!

I would have thought that no Italian would actually make such a dish, but Nigella actually had it at a restaurant along the Amalfi coast.

She does refer to the pairing as a “culinary pun,” but hey, if it’s served in Italy, she can put her recreation of it in her cookbook!

The calamari=shaped pasta I found is called Pasta di Gragnano; Gragnano is the area where Nigella had the pasta dish.

In any case, it’s now December and I’m finally getting to this recipe, which is actually good timing, because it’s totally festive! I might make it again on Christmas!

Quick Calamari Pasta
Slightly adapted

1 pound pasta, calamari-ring shape
Salt
1 pound cleaned squid, sliced, tentacles left whole
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh red chile peppers, sweet
1/2 cup vermouth
1/4 cup pasta cooking water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Handful of chopped parsley
Cayenne pepper flakes, optional

Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain.

Heat the oil in a deep skillet. Add the green onions for one minute, then add the garlic and red chile peppers.

Stir well.
Add the squid rings AND tentacles and cook for about 2 minutes.

Pour in the vermouth and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the squid is tender and the vermouth reduced.

Add the cooking water and butter, then add the drained pasta to the squid and stir together well.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve!

I added a little more salt, and also included some cayenne pepper.

The next time I make this, I might remove the squid and vegetables before continuing with the liquids. That way it’s insured that the squid doesn’t overcook.

Plus, I’d love to try it with a little tomato paste and cream.

But it’s a delightful recipe, and classically Italian in its simplicity.

By Published On: December 11th, 201727 Comments on Nigella’s Pasta with Squid

About the Author: Chef Mimi

As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!

27 Comments

  1. The Literate Chef December 11, 2017 at 6:26 AM - Reply

    Thanks, Mimi. It’s only 7:30 am here and I’ve not yet had breakfast and my mouth is watering reading this!

  2. Nadia December 11, 2017 at 8:11 AM - Reply

    The flavours sound so enticing.

  3. Travel Gourmet December 11, 2017 at 10:05 AM - Reply

    This is a gorgeous pasta dish. No wonder you couldn’t wait to try it. Good tips too about not overcooking the squid and possible variations. Thank you!

  4. polentaebaccala December 11, 2017 at 12:35 PM - Reply

    I love this kind of pasta :) and I love squids!

    • chef mimi December 11, 2017 at 4:27 PM - Reply

      I’d never heard of this kind of pasta before!

  5. chefkreso December 11, 2017 at 12:52 PM - Reply

    Every time I make pasta with squid I love adding other seafood like clams, and crab, and fish, it’s such a yummy lunch or dinner idea!

    • chef mimi December 11, 2017 at 6:20 PM - Reply

      I love all seafood, but it’s hard enough to get one kind delivered to my house!

  6. Michelle December 11, 2017 at 7:48 PM - Reply

    Fun recipe! I can relate. I’ve been without an indoor freezer for about a month and my replacement isn’t due ’til January. (There are 2 freezers in the garage, but it’s a nuisance. Thank god for the ice bucket we got for a wedding present 30 years ago!) That and other construction/renovation woes over the last few months have about driven me insane.

    • chef mimi December 12, 2017 at 8:59 AM - Reply

      It’s awful. I’ve never gone through anything really major, but broken appliances are terrible. When we moved into this house I thought I’d never use this built-in ice maker. Now I can hardly live without it, and it breaks a lot!

  7. Chica Andaluza December 12, 2017 at 2:51 AM - Reply

    Ooh…beautiful! My kind of pasta dish.

  8. My Little Italian Kitchen December 12, 2017 at 5:50 PM - Reply

    This is divine Mimi! Nothing beats a good pasta with squid. And I really love your presentation!

    • chef mimi December 13, 2017 at 6:18 AM - Reply

      Thank you Alida! I need to order frozen seafood more often. The quality was better than I expected!

  9. kitchenriffs December 13, 2017 at 10:15 AM - Reply

    It’s really the pits not having a refrigerator, isn’t it? And eating out does get really old. Anyway, fun recipe — this looks excellent. Great way to use squid — thanks.

    • chef mimi December 13, 2017 at 1:29 PM - Reply

      Eating out is especially when you live in a small town with terrible restaurants!

  10. camparigirl December 13, 2017 at 1:41 PM - Reply

    That sounds really good (I find her recipes to be pretty reliable). But you are right, I have never seen pasta with just squid. Usually, it’s pasta and a variety of seafood.

    • chef mimi December 13, 2017 at 1:51 PM - Reply

      I just had to make it because of the redundant shapes! I like her, too. I especially love how she doesn’t take food too seriously. She might dislike the really popular food bloggers – just a guess on my part – I heard her comment about the beautiful cakes on blogs once, and she said that she’d never even had two biscuits come out of the oven looking the same!

  11. Laura @ Feast Wisely December 13, 2017 at 3:14 PM - Reply

    Your intro made me laugh Chef Mimi as I’ve just been through the no fridge living for almost a week when moving house. Luckily a neighbour offered some of her space – happy Christmas 🎄

    • chef mimi December 13, 2017 at 8:07 PM - Reply

      Oh my gosh.. Awful. It’s like being transported to a third world country, isn’t it?!!

      • Laura @ Feast Wisely December 14, 2017 at 2:17 PM

        Yes it is – how did we ever live without cold milk to hand!

  12. Frank Fariello December 16, 2017 at 8:24 AM - Reply

    Definitely a wonderful dish for an Italian themed Christmas Eve dinner! Thanks for reminding me of this dish, which I haven’t made in years. I may even make this this Xmas…

    • chef mimi December 16, 2017 at 4:28 PM - Reply

      I’m actually making a different calamari dish, in red sauce, for Christmas! I’m not doing an Italian theme, but I have a pescatarian in the family…

  13. Jeff the Chef December 20, 2017 at 8:34 AM - Reply

    I’ve never seen ringed pasta like that. How cool. This sounds like a delicious dish.

    • chef mimi December 20, 2017 at 8:36 AM - Reply

      I know, me neither! It was fun, although my squid was small, and the rings after cooking were really small!

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