Equipment
Ingredients
Squid
- 800 g baby squid, whole, cleaned
Stuffing
- 1 fennel bulb, finely diced
- 150 g swiss chard, leaves only, washed
- 40 g almonds, skinned and roughly chopped
- 50 g dry breadcrumbs
- 2 garlic, minced
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 egg, beaten
Fresh Tomato Sauce
- 800 g ripe plum tomatoes, diced
- 2 garlic, sliced
- 60 ml dry white wine
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 g red pepper flakes
- salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 518 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbohydrates
- 32 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 606 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 15 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 513 mg
- Potassium
- 1458 mg
- Calcium
- 192 mg
- Iron
- 4.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 163 mg
- Phosphorus
- 634 mg
- Zinc
- 4.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 184 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 55 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 8.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 353 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.21 mg
- Riboflavin
- 1.10 mg
- Niacin
- 6.1 mg
- Folate
- 53 mcg
- Water
- 250 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Finely chop the reserved squid tentacles. Blanch the Swiss chard leaves in boiling water for 1 minute, drain thoroughly, squeeze out excess water, and chop finely.
Toast the chopped almonds in a small frying pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Heat 15ml of olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Sauté the diced fennel and minced garlic for 5 minutes until softened. Add the chopped tentacles and cook for another 2 minutes.
Transfer the fennel mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the prepared chard, toasted almonds, breadcrumbs, and beaten egg. Mix well to combine. Season with a pinch of salt.
Carefully stuff each squid body with the mixture using a small spoon or piping bag. Fill only to 2/3 capacity as the squid will shrink and the filling will expand. Secure the opening of each squid with a toothpick.
Wipe out the skillet. Heat the remaining 30ml olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and optional red pepper flakes, sizzling for 30 seconds. Add the diced tomatoes and white wine. Bring to a simmer.
Nestle the stuffed squid into the tomato sauce. Cover the skillet and simmer gently on low heat for 25-30 minutes, turning the squid halfway through, until the squid is tender.
Remove the toothpicks before serving. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and serve warm.
Chef's Notes
- If using larger squid, the cooking time may need to be extended by 10-15 minutes.
- Using fresh breadcrumbs rather than dried fine crumbs provides a lighter texture to the stuffing.
- The fennel fronds make an excellent garnish that reinforces the anise flavor profile.
- Ensure the chard is very dry before mixing to prevent the stuffing from becoming soggy.
- To peel fresh tomatoes easily, score an X on the bottom and blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Best stored in an airtight container with the sauce covering the squid to prevent drying.
Freezer: 1 month — Texture of the squid may become slightly tougher upon thawing.
Reheating: Gently reheat in a covered saucepan over low heat with a splash of water until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Squid bodies split open during cooking
Cause: The squid was overfilled
Fix: Keep the split squid together on the plate; the flavor remains unaffected
Prevention: Fill tubes only 2/3 full to allow for meat shrinkage and filling expansion
Squid is rubbery and tough
Cause: Undercooked or cooked at too high a boil
Fix: Continue simmering gently for another 10-15 minutes adding water if sauce dries out
Prevention: Simmer gently for the full duration; squid needs time to tenderize after the initial tightening
Cultural Context
Stuffed squid (Calamari Ripieni) is a classic dish found throughout coastal Italy, particularly in Sicily and Campania. This variation uses almonds and fennel, ingredients characteristic of Sicilian cuisine which often pairs seafood with nuts and earthy vegetables.
