For this dish, we braise squid in red wine and orange rind. The rind gives the sauce a slight bitterness that can seem overwhelming until you eat it on crostini with a dab of mayonnaise, and then it all comes together. We serve it as a condiment for pasta in the Osteria, which would be a perfect use for leftovers because when dressing pasta, a little goes a long way. We use calamarata, a short ring-shaped pasta that mimics the shape of squid rings, or paccheri, a long, tubular pasta that flattens when it cooks.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　2 1/2 pounds squid

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　Half of a Spanish onion, cut into small dice (about 1 cup)

　　Half of a large carrot, peeled and cut into small dice (about 1/2 cup)

　　1 1/2 celery ribs, cut into small dice (about 1/2 cup)

　　1 tablespoon chopped garlic (about 3 large cloves)

　　1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　2 teaspoons kosher salt

　　2 cups dry red wine

　　1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Passata di Pomodoro (page 25) or tomato sauce

　　Half of an orange, seeds removed and finely chopped, including rinds (about 1/2 cup)

　　1 tablespoon orange juice

　　1 tablespoon brandy

　　1/2 cup finishing-quality extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh Italian parsley leaves

　　8 Garlic Crostini (page 46)

　　Garlic Mayonnaise (page 51)

　　

Step 1

Rinse the squid thoroughly and remove and discard the cartilage and the beaks if they’re still attached. Cut the squid into 2-inch pieces and place it in the refrigerator.

　　

Step 2

Combine the olive oil, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in a large sauté pan over medium heat, season with the red pepper flakes, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the salt, and sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent the vegetables from browning. Increase the heat to high, add the squid, season with the remaining teaspoon of salt, and stir to combine. Sauté the squid with the vegetables until the squid has released enough liquid to cover itself in the pan, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, passata, chopped orange, orange juice, and brandy, and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer the squid for 1 hour, or until it is tender and the sauce has thickened to the consistency of thin gravy. Turn off the heat, drizzle in the finishing-quality olive oil, and stir vigorously to emulsify the sauce. Stir in the parsley.

　　

Step 3

Divide the squid and sauce evenly among four soup plates or large bowls. Place 2 crostini on the side of each plate or bowl and serve with a ramekin of mayonnaise on the side of each.

　　The Mozza Cookbook