Lemon-Chile Calamari Pasta
They don’t tell you this, but with 1 lb. of squid in your refrigerator, you are 20 minutes from a summery, seaside Italian vacation—regardless of your actual location or the time of year. This weeknight-friendly dish comes together in a flash with the help of kitchen staples that never go out of season, like lemon, garlic, Calabrian chile paste, and butter. If you don’t usually cook with squid at home, it’s a great gateway recipe; the results are bright and sunny without being overly fishy, and because the calamari pieces are poached right in the sauce, they avoid that overcooked rubbery chew.
Cleaned squid is easy to find at most grocery store fish counters, and it’s often less expensive than shrimp pound for pound. Fresh squid is preferred for this recipe; frozen bags often include huge rings meant for battering and frying, which are both awkward to eat with pasta and take longer to cook.
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cook 8–10 oz. dried pappardelle or tagliatelle or 12 oz. dried bucatini or spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1½ cups pasta cooking liquid.
Step 2
Meanwhile, finely grate the zest of 1 lemon into a small bowl, then finely grate in 4 garlic cloves. Cut 2 lemons in half and squeeze juice into a measuring glass to make ¼ cup; discard spent lemons.
Step 3
Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook lemon zest and garlic, stirring, until fragrant and starting to stick to pan, about 30 seconds. Add half of lemon juice and cook, stirring often, until reduced slightly, about 1 minute.
Step 4
Add 1 lb. cleaned squid, bodies sliced ¼" thick, tentacles left whole, 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ½ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid; cook, stirring often, until butter is melted and squid are partially cooked, about 2 minutes. Add pasta, 1 Tbsp. Calabrian chile paste, ½ cup pasta cooking liquid, and remaining 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter; season with freshly ground pepper. Cook, tossing often and adding more pasta cooking liquid a little at a time as needed, until butter is melted, sauce is thickened and coats pasta, and squid are just cooked through (they should look white and opaque), 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lots of torn basil and remaining lemon juice.
Step 5
Divide pasta among bowls; season with more pepper.
Recipe notes
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