ITALIAN STUFFED CALAMARI

Entree - lactose free

1 lb frozen whole calamari, thawed
1 tbsp capers, packed in salt, rinsed and chopped
2 tbsp Italian green olive spread
2-4 slices bread, crust removed
1/3 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup Italian San Marzano peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
Salt, hot pepper flakes

If you're using fresh calamari clean them: gut the squid, remove beak eyes and cartilage, detach the sacks from the tentacles that will be chopped. If you can find already cleaned squids, that would save you lots of time.

Prepare the stuffing: soak bread in water; combine tentacles, capers, olive spread and parsley in a bowl. When bread is soaked, squeeze it to remove excess water and add it in the bowl, mix well to combine all ingredients.

Prepare the calamari: stuff the sacks with the mixture and close with a toothpick.

Put a saucepan over medium heat and warm the olive oil, sautee onions, with hop pepper flakes, until translucent. Arrange calamari in the saucepan and deglaze with the white wine.

Let evaporate, then add tomatoes and stew over medium-low heat, covered, for about 15-20 minutes, until tender (it also depends on the size of the calamari, the ones used in our video were quite small).

Serve hot with its sauce and some fresh salad or mashed potatoes.

Serves 2-4

- You can add peas to the tomatoes.
- Season with salt at the end, when you can check if it really needs it: remember you're using olive spread and capers, which are quite salty.