Cuttlefish with Peas, or Seppie Coi Piselli: This is one of the most classic ways of preparing cuttlefish -- Artusi mentions it in La Scienza in Cucina e L'Arte di Mangiar Bene, which came out in 1891 -- and rightly so. This particular recipe is more detailed than his. To serve 4:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 pounds (1 k) cuttlefish (you may want to ask your fishmonger to clean them for you,
- and you could use squid instead if need be)
- 2 1/4 pounds (1 k) fresh peas (if you buy them unshelled you will need twice as much by weight)
- 1 pound (450 g) ripe plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded, chopped and drained
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 cup dry white wine
- A small bunch parsley, minced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- A small onion, minced
- 1/2 cup hot broth (canned will work if need be)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Clean the cuttlefish if your fishmonger did not, discarding the beak and the eyes, wash it well, and chop it up into pieces about an inch (2.5 cm) large at the most.
Crush the clove of garlic and heat it in a pot with half the oil; when it begins to crackle add the cuttlefish and cook briefly, stirring the pieces about. Sprinkle the wine into the pot and let it evaporate over a moderate flame, then add the tomatoes and hot water to cover. Cover the pot, reduce the flame, and simmer the cuttlefish for 40-45 minutes.
In the meantime sauté the onion in the remaining oil in another pot; when it has become translucent and has softened add the shelled peas. Season them with salt and pepper, add the hot broth, and cook them for about 15 minutes. At this point drain them, reserving the broth, and transfer them to the cuttlefish pot to finish cooking with the fish. When the fish is done, dust it with the minced parsley and serve it.
Crush the clove of garlic and heat it in a pot with half the oil; when it begins to crackle add the cuttlefish and cook briefly, stirring the pieces about. Sprinkle the wine into the pot and let it evaporate over a moderate flame, then add the tomatoes and hot water to cover. Cover the pot, reduce the flame, and simmer the cuttlefish for 40-45 minutes.
In the meantime sauté the onion in the remaining oil in another pot; when it has become translucent and has softened add the shelled peas. Season them with salt and pepper, add the hot broth, and cook them for about 15 minutes. At this point drain them, reserving the broth, and transfer them to the cuttlefish pot to finish cooking with the fish. When the fish is done, dust it with the minced parsley and serve it.
