There was a time when calamari was not much consumed in America and it was considered a cheap fish. But Italians love calamari, and it became the fish of choice of the Italian immigrants. You can find calamari today as a delicacy in contemporary restaurants of every ethnicity. Spicy calamari with linguine is a trademark of Italian American restaurants all over America.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta pot

　　1 pound linguine

　　6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　8 garlic cloves, sliced

　　1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes

　　28-ounce can plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand

　　1 teaspoon dried oregano

　　1 pound cleaned calamari, bodies cut into 1-inch rings, tentacles roughly chopped

　　

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta. Stir the linguine into the boiling water.

　　

Step 2

Pour 4 tablespoons of the olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, toss in the sliced garlic, and cook until it sizzles, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with the peperoncino, let it toast for a minute, then pour in the tomatoes. Slosh out the tomato can with a cup of pasta water, add that to the sauce, and stir. Season with the oregano and salt. Bring to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, to thicken the sauce and develop the flavors, about 8 to 10 minutes.

　　

Step 3

When the sauce is ready, stir in the calamari and simmer until just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. When the pasta is al dente, drain and toss it directly into the sauce. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, toss well to combine, and serve immediately.

　　Reprinted with permission from Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2011 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.