Calamarata with Squid and Artichokes

with fresh parsley and extra virgin olive oil

Difficulty Medium

Preparation 20 min

Cooking 30 min

Serves 4 people

Category First Courses

Season Spring

Cuisine Contemporary

Propaganda's calamarata with squid and artichokes is a spring pasta dish from the sea: rings of pasta wrapped around baby squid cooked over high heat and golden artichokes pan-fried with garlic, all brought together with a generous finish of pasta water and crowned with fresh parsley. Clean and essential, every ingredient speaks clearly — sea meets land without either overpowering the other.

Ingredients

For the pasta

Calamarata360 g

Coarse salt for pasta waterto taste

For the artichokes

Medium artichokes4–6

Garlic cloves2

Extra virgin olive oilto taste

Saltto taste

For the squid

Fresh baby squid, cleaned350 g

Extra virgin olive oilto taste

Saltto taste

For finishing

Fresh flat-leaf parsley1 bunch

Extra virgin olive oil, rawto taste

Method

Cleaning the artichokes and cooking in the pan

Clean the artichokes: remove the tough outer leaves, trim the tips and scoop out the inner choke with a teaspoon. Slice thinly. Sauté in a pan with extra virgin olive oil and garlic over medium heat until golden and beginning to soften.

Parsley and finishing the artichokes

Finely chop the fresh parsley and add it to the artichokes in the pan. Continue cooking until the artichokes are completely tender and fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Cleaning and cutting the squid

Clean the baby squid thoroughly: remove the quill, skin and internal organs. Cut each one in half lengthways, obtaining two halves with the tentacles attached — this shape cooks quickly and stays tender.

Drop the pasta and cook the squid

Drop the calamarata into a large pot of well-salted boiling water. Meanwhile, heat a clean pan with extra virgin olive oil and cook the squid over high heat for 3-5 minutes, until just cooked through — they must remain tender and not become rubbery.

Artichokes and squid together

Add the cooked artichokes into the pan with the squid. Toss everything together over high heat for a minute, combining the flavours and bringing the sauce together.

Finishing the pasta

When the calamarata has 2 minutes left, drain it directly into the pan, reserving the cooking water. Finish cooking over medium heat, adding ladles of pasta water and tossing constantly, until the sauce coats every piece of pasta.

Plating

Plate the calamarata in a deep bowl, making sure every portion has a generous amount of squid and artichokes. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, raw. Finish with a generous scattering of freshly chopped parsley.

👨‍🍳 Chef's tip