Calamari Pasta
Edit: After closer inspection, I realized that my tins of “octopus” from Trader Joe’s were actually calamari (although I will say that I and several Tik Tok’ers agree that the fish does look more like octopus). With that said, I actually prefer that it was calamari so will go with that and therefore have renamed this recipe and further adapted it from the original source of Bon Appétit.
Has anyone else been noticing the profusion of upscale, beautifully designed tinned fish packaging lining the market shelves? Fishwife is the clear winner from an artistic standpoint but brands such as Matiz, have been putting out top quality tins of smoked mussels, white anchovies, lemon-spiked sardines, etc. for quite some time.
Tinned fish has been popular throughout Europe for years (centuries?). As a matter of fact, in Spain you just might happen upon a tapas bar that exclusively serves these marine delights. But it’s taken some time for Americans to embrace the “trend.” Tuna? Of course, commonplace. Anchovies? If you eat them, likely from a can. Clams? If you love Linguine with White Clam Sauce, you might recognize this shortcut as your pantry savior. But even canned salmon may be looked at skeptically here in the US, let alone some of the more obscure varieties.
Well, I’m here to tell you that the time is now to put your skepticism aside and give tinned fish a try. Tinned seafood is a pantry-stable protein that is your shortcut to a nutritious, delicious, and might I say elegant, weeknight meal. This recipe for Calamari Pasta, adapted from Bon Appétit, is the perfect first foray, as the resulting dish tastes very similar to the aforementioned Linguine with White Clam Sauce. Not surprising considering that the ingredients are identical with the exception of the seafood. The addition of capers brings a pop and the seasoned, toasted panko breadcrumbs are a welcomed crunch. And for those who are curious, I found the tins of calamari at Trader Joe’s but you will also be able to locate them at Whole Foods and increasingly in many supermarkets. Be brave and enjoy!
Calamari Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb linguine
- kosher salt
- 5 Tbls olive oil divided
- 1/2 c panko
- 2 4.2 oz cans calamari drained, patted dry
- 5 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
- 3 Tbls coarsely chopped drained capers
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 c dry white wine
- 1/2 c finely chopped parsley packed
- 4 Tbls unsalted butter
- 1 lemon zested and cut in half
Instructions
- Cook linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbls olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add panko, season with kosher salt, and cook, stirring often, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Wipe out skillet.
- Heat 2 Tbls olive oil in same skillet over medium-high. Add calamari, drained and patted dry, and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 2–3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.
- Add remaining 1 Tbls olive oil to same skillet. Cook garlic cloves, coarsely chopped and coarsely chopped drained capers, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add crushed red peppers and a big pinch of salt; season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until combined and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add white wine and cook, stirring often, until reduced by two thirds, about 4 minutes.
- Add pasta, parsley, butter and reserved ½ cup pasta cooking liquid to skillet; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, tossing often and adding remaining pasta cooking liquid a little at a time as needed, until pasta is coated. Remove from heat.
- Add calamari, then finely grate zest from lemon over. Squeeze in juice from 1 half lemon and toss to combine. Cut remaining half into wedges.
- Divide pasta among shallow bowls and top with panko mixture. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.