Calamarata

It's fun to try new pasta shapes, especially when they mimic the main ingredients you're pairing with the pasta. In this case, it's calamarata, which closely resemble the calamari, or squid, that I cooked with them. In the past, it was nearly impossible to find calamarata here in the states, but nowadays, I have seen it not only in Philadelphia and New York, but even in my hometown of Princeton, N.J. The brand I used was "La Fabbrica della Pasta di Gragnano," an excellent artisanal pasta made with extrusion machines that employ the traditional bronze dies. In case you can't find this brand, click here for a couple of other brands available online.

Try to find squid that are on the small size. They're more tender. These were only about three inches long. Pat them dry and cut them into rings. Dry them again before cooking with them. They'll release a lot of water anyway.

Saute the scallions and garlic in olive oil, then remove them when they've wilted.

You should be roasting the tomatoes too. Use a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet to make clean up a little easier. Roast them until they have burst open and have taken on a bit of color.

Toss the tomatoes together with the squid, the pasta and the remaining ingredients. All you have to do now is grab a fork and dig in.

Calamarata with calamari

printable recipe here
1 lb. calamarata pasta
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lbs. squid, cut into rings
1 pt. grape tomatoes
a couple of tablespoons olive oil
salt, pepper, garlic salt
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. chopped scallions
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 lemon, squeezed
red pepper flakes
salt to taste
1/4 cup minced parsley
small handful of basil, minced

Place the grape tomatoes on a cookie sheet (I put parchment paper down first). Pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 20 min. until they start to turn color.

Start the water boiling for the pasta, adding some salt. While you're boiling the pasta, make the sauce by placing 1/2 cup olive oil in a large saucepan and adding the chopped scallions and minced garlic. Sauté until soft, then remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside. Turn up the heat, add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and add the squid rings, tossing and sautéing for only a few minutes. Do not overcook.  Squid will get tough if you leave it in for more than a few minutes. Remove the squid and set aside. Add the wine to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes in the pan with the liquid that the squid released. Drain the pasta and add that to the pan, also putting back in the sautéed scallions and garlic that you had set aside. Add the roasted tomatoes, juice from 1/2 lemon, salt, pepper and enough red pepper flakes to give it the spiciness you prefer. Sprinkle the minced parsley and basil on top and serve.