Seppie Alla Malvasia Con Pomodorini Del Vesuvio Recipe

Clean and portion the seppie

If your seppie are not already cleaned, remove the ink sac, beak and cartilage, rinse well under cold water and pat dry. Slice into bite-size strips or leave small whole depending on preference. Season lightly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and set aside.

Prepare tomatoes and aromatics

Rinse the pomodorini and halve them. Finely chop the onion, thinly slice the garlic, finely chop the parsley and tear the basil leaves. Zest the lemon and reserve.

Warm the stock

Heat the fish or vegetable stock in a small saucepan and keep warm on low heat.

Sauté aromatics

In a large, heavy skillet or sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.

Brown the seppie briefly

Increase heat to medium-high, add the seppie to the pan in a single layer. Sear for 1–2 minutes, stirring, just to firm them and develop some flavor — they should not be fully cooked through. Remove seppie to a plate and set aside.

Deglaze with Malvasia

Lower heat to medium, pour the Malvasia wine into the pan to deglaze, scraping any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce for 2–3 minutes until slightly syrupy and most of the alcohol aroma has dissipated.

Add tomatoes and simmer

Add the halved pomodorini to the pan with the reduced wine, along with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, crushed red pepper (if using), remaining salt and pepper. Stir and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften and release their juices, about 6–8 minutes.

Return seppie and finish cooking

Return the seppie to the pan and pour in the warm stock. Stir to combine, reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, or until the seppie are tender. If the sauce seems too thin, simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce; if you prefer a slightly thicker sauce, stir in the cornstarch slurry (mix cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water first) and cook 1–2 minutes more until the sauce thickens.

Adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the chopped parsley, torn basil leaves and lemon zest. Drizzle remaining raw olive oil (if desired) over the top for shine and flavor.

Serve hot in a shallow bowl with toasted country bread or slices of grilled polenta to soak up the sauce. For a more traditional presentation, place bread on the side or under the seppie. Garnish with a few extra basil leaves and a grind of black pepper.

Leftovers: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat; do not overcook to avoid rubbery texture.