My favorite bite in Venice, perhaps my favorite bite of our entire trip, happened when I ate squid ink pasta with cuttlefish for the first time.
Ever since, I’ve been obsessed with cooking the dish myself. I couldn’t find a satisfactory recipe, so I attempted to recreate it on my own. While it doesn’t have the freshness or the charm of dining al fresco along the Grand Canal, it’s a pretty solid rendition.
Squid Ink Pasta
Ingredients
1 pound spaghetti (we brought back some pasta with squid ink in the dough but regular pasta will work fine)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
2 tsp squid ink (the Alma brand on Amazon works well)
3 cloves garlic
12 oz mussels or shrimp or clams (precooked)
Fresh lemons
Method
Cook pasta in salted water to al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of cooking liquid. In separate pan, heat minced olive oil, pepper flakes, and salt. After the garlic has become fragrant and soft, add the squid ink. Add drained pasta to the oil, watch for splatters. Add precooked seafood. Stir, using the cooking water to incorporate the ink and pasta and oil together. Squeeze fresh lemon over top. Serve with lemon wedges, so people can lemon the dish to their heart’s content.
Enjoy!
Fuck Yeah, Food 