Tagliatelle & Squid Bolognese Recipe
Make Tagliatelle & Squid Bolognese Recipe in just 45m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Squid Bolognese
Tagliatelle & Finishing
Method
Squid Bolognese
- 1
Prepare squid
If not already cleaned, remove heads, innards and quill from squid tubes. Rinse under cold water, pat dry with paper towels. Slice tubes into 1/2-inch rings; chop tentacles roughly. Keep refrigerated until ready to cook.
- 2
Sweat aromatics
Heat 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tbs butter in a wide, heavy sauté pan or shallow saucepan over medium heat. When butter foams, add diced onion, carrot and celery. Season lightly with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and translucent, about 7–9 minutes.
- 3
- 4
Deglaze
Pour in 120 ml dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any brown bits from the bottom. Let wine reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes.
- 5
Build the sauce
Stir in the 400 g canned crushed tomatoes, 250 ml fish or chicken stock, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 0.25 tsp chili flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes to concentrate flavors. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- 6
Cook squid
Increase heat to medium. Add the prepared squid rings and tentacles to the simmering sauce. Stir to combine. Cook for a short time—about 3–5 minutes—until squid is just opaque and tender. (Squid cooks quickly; overcooking will make it tough.) Remove the bay leaf once squid is cooked.
- 7
Finish the bolognese
Stir in 0.25 cup chopped parsley, 1 tsp lemon zest, 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper and adjust seasoning with up to 1 tsp more salt if desired. Keep sauce warm over lowest heat while you cook the pasta.
Tagliatelle & Finishing
- 8
Cook pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water generously (about 1 tbs salt per 4 liters). Add 400 g tagliatelle and cook until al dente according to package instructions (usually 7–9 minutes for dried tagliatelle). Reserve about 300 ml of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, leaving it slightly wet.
- 9
Combine pasta and sauce
Add the drained tagliatelle directly into the pan with the squid bolognese. Add 1 tbs unsalted butter, 1 tsp olive oil, and 1 tsp fresh lemon juice. Toss gently to combine, using a little reserved pasta water (start with 120 ml) to loosen and coat the pasta. Continue tossing over low heat for 1–2 minutes so the sauce clings to the noodles; add more pasta water as needed to reach a glossy, saucy consistency.
- 10
Adjust and finish
Taste and adjust seasoning. If using, stir in up to 0.5 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan for a richer finish (note: cheese is optional with seafood but adds savory depth). Fold in 2 tbs chopped parsley for brightness.
- 11
Plate and garnish
Divide tagliatelle and squid bolognese among warm plates. Drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over each serving, sprinkle extra parsley, and add a final grind of black pepper. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.