Squid Ink Spaghetti with Clams & Cherry Tomatoes 🦑

Squid (and often cuttlefish) ink is a classic ingredient in Venetian cooking, as well as in the Veneto and throughout the Dalmatian coast.

It’s most commonly used to braise cuttlefish or calamari, mixed into pasta doughs, and stirred through the risotto, spaghetti or linguine.

This simple, classic seafood dish with the squid ink "Nero di Seppia" spaghetti can be found throughout Italy. This recipe looks fancy, but it’s easy to make in under 30 minutes and the flavor is something to tell your friends about. 

• Difficulty: Easy
• Time of Preparation: 20 mins
• Time of Cooking: 10 mins
• Doses for: 4 people
• Cost: $$

Ingredients

• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 1 jar of black squid ink
• 1 pound clams
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic (thinly sliced )
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 10 ounces cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 1/3 cup white wine or dry vermouth
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup chopped basil
• 1 cup of cooked pea
• 1 cup of baked pumpkin
• 4 Tablespoons butter salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
   
   
2. In a large skillet heat olive oil on medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic and stir occasionally every 1-2 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant.
   
   
3. Add the tomato paste and stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until dark red.
   
   
4. Add the cherry tomatoes, white wine, ¼ cup water, and red pepper flakes— then season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes while stirring occasionally, or until the tomatoes are softened.
   
   
5. Cook the pasta to al dente, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta.
   
   
6. While the pasta cooks, add the clams to the tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. and stir occasionally every 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked.
   
   
7. Add the cooked pasta, 1 jar of black squid ink and mix gently butter, and half of the reserved pasta cooking water to the skillet with the clams & tomatoes.
   
   
8. Cook, stirring frequently, 2-3 minutes, or until the pasta is coated in the sauce; season with salt and pepper to taste. (If the sauce seems dry, add in some of the reserved pasta cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.) Turn off the heat and stir in half the basil. Garnish with remaining cooked pea and baked pumpkin before serving.

Serve hot 🔥

Enjoy!