Spaghetti with Squid

I found some really nice fresh squid in Karstadt this week – on an unsuccessful trip to buy a sugar thermometer [1].  It was a hot day so a light evening meal was called for, and Jim suggested a twist on my favourite Spaghetti Vongole.

Recipe

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

• As much squid as you want to eat (about 6 usually works, depending on size)
• As much spaghetti as you want to eat
• Olive oil
• Chopped garlic
• Chopped fresh parsley
• Chopped fresh red chillie(s)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup dry white wine
• Lemon juice (to taste)
• Salt & pepper

Method

1. Put the spaghetti water on to boil.
2. Clean and prepare the squid – there’s a good video here showing you how to do it.
3. Slice into rings, leave the tentacles whole.
4. Add the spaghetti to the (now boiling) pan with a drop of olive oil.
5. Mix some olive oil, a little lemon juice and the chopped parsley in a bowl. (Be careful with the lemon, the white wine will add acidity too)
6. Heat a griddle pan to fairly hot and add the squid; leave it for a couple of minutes (if that) until it’s turned an opaque white colour, turn it over an give it a minute or so more – you really don’t want to overcook squid it goes really rubbery.
7. Throw the cooked squid into the olive oil-lemon-parsley mix.
8. Drain the pasta.
9. Heat a little olive oil in the (now empty) pasta pan and fry the garlic, chillies and lemon zest together for a few minutes.
10. Add the spaghetti, squid-parsley-oil-lemon mix and a cup of dry white wine to the pan.
11. Give it a few second to heat through and the alcohol to evaporate.
12. Add salt and pepper and check to see if it needs a touch more lemon (or serve lemon wedges on the side).
13. Serve.

With the day being as hot as it was we ate ours on the balcony with a green salad and white-wine spritzers, followed by some fresh apricots and plums.

————————————————————————————————————————–

[1] Does anyone know where I can buy a sugar thermometer in Berlin? I’m planning on making some jam with the last of this summer’s fruit; and trying out some of Dan Lepard’s caramel recipes.