# I've got some squid ink pasta **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [August 6, 2023, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128 "2023-08-06T01:08:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/1 "2023-08-06T01:08:12Z")
And I can’t make up my mind about what sauce I want to pair with it. Tell me what you would make, and why. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/2 "2023-08-06T01:38:41Z")
Uhh … how about squid? Heat some olive oil and garlic in a pan, and dump in a tin of kalemara. Saute and add some capers and chopped shallots. Pour in some white wine and let it reduce. Add a gob of butter to make a sauce and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Boil the pasta in salty water and transfer it to the saucepan. Stir to combine everything and serve hot. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Red pepper flakes can add a little heat. If the squid comes packed in its own ink, dump that in the pan too. It’s very tasty! ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/3 "2023-08-06T01:40:50Z")
If it were my first time trying, I’d try without any sauce at all, you don’t want to drown the flavors with any sort of heavy sauce. Otherwise it would depend upon what I’m pairing the pasta with - is it by itself, with another protein, veggies, etc? My default would be similar to @terentii, a simple olive oil (good), ground pepper and garlic. But some ginger-infused soy sauce with ponzu (so ginger / soy / citrus) goes well with nearly anything. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/4 "2023-08-06T01:57:05Z")
I’ve made squid ink pasta before so I know what it tastes like. I want something new but can’t make up my mind what I want to do with it, so almost anything goes here. Anything with hard-to-find ingredients will probably not be happening. The only thing I am sure of is that I do not want a tomato-based sauce. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/5 "2023-08-06T02:19:49Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > The only thing I am sure of is that I do not want a tomato-based sauce. That is all. More than fair. Again, I’d ask what the rest of the meal is going to be, and is the pasta served on it’s own as a dish, or with added ingredients? After recent talks in the CS about spicy regional variants of Italian cuisine, I’ve been planning some Arrabbiata dishes as soon as I can secure fresh tomatoes from my MiL’s garden, but that’s out if tomato sauces are out. I think I’d stick to the basics, good EVOO, flake salt, pepper, crushed garlic, and some citrus (juice and zest) plus some Aleppo pepper for a touch of kick and fruity undertones. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/6 "2023-08-06T02:30:29Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Again, I’d ask what the rest of the meal is going to be, and is the pasta served on it’s own as a dish, or with added ingredients? Well, that’s the thing. I dunno what I want to do with it, and that includes any additions other than the sauce too. If you were in possession of an 8 oz. package of squid ink tagliatelle, what would you do with it? @terentii’s idea sounds good (and thanks for the suggestion!) but I am not sure I can find a quality tin of squid here, I’d have to look around a bit. I hadn’t really considered anything Asian-ish, but I could see how that could work. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/7 "2023-08-06T02:42:52Z")
Where are you that you can’t find canned squid? I used to buy it all the time when I lived in Moscow. If you have a decent supermarket nearby, you can probably find frozen squid. My local Food Basics in Toronto sells packets of it for about $10. Or try finding fresh squid at the supermarket. There’s an Asian-oriented one near where I live, and they have a huge fresh seafood section. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/8 "2023-08-06T02:43:02Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > If you were in possession of an 8 oz. package of squid ink tagliatelle, what would you do with it? I’d consider myself blessed and make sure to eat it away from the wife who considers anything touched by things that came from the sea unclean. (Slight exaggeration for effect of course!) Meh, I’d probably go with the EVOO based garlic/citrus sauce I mentioned, or defrost some tuna steaks, marinate in the soy/ginger/ponzu sauce I mentioned above, sear the steaks, and serve with the pasta dressed in more of the sauce, maybe with a bit of roasted sesame oil for funzies. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/9 "2023-08-06T02:46:51Z")
I’ve been thinking about mussels lately so that’s what I’d use. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/10 "2023-08-06T02:54:56Z")
Mussels are good. They can be substituted into my recipe fer sure. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/11 "2023-08-06T15:27:05Z")
I said I might not be able to find _quality_ tinned squid, at least not near me. Most of the tinned fish my local stores sell is … not great. We do have an Asian market and of course they have all kinds of squid, but it’s a drive so I don’t go over there until I have a list of stuff I want. It’s not practical to go all the way over there for one thing. But there’s also no rush on making this dish, either. Mussels would indeed be easier to get closer by. Thanks for that suggestion! ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/12 "2023-08-06T18:42:15Z")
You can make “meatballs” by grinding raw squid or cuttlefish (add some shrimp) or just chopping fine with a sharp knife. They’d make a very unusual dish with that pasta, maybe with white sauce? ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/13 "2023-08-06T19:16:36Z")
Olive oil, garlic ([finely](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brunoise) chopped, 2/3s slowly cooked through, 1/3 undercooked at the end), peperoncino and/or pepper, parsley, and salt should be simple and tasty. Onions or shallots are optional, I like them. Perhaps a dash of white wine after the first 2/3s garlic are well made. Mussels or shrimp would fit perfectly, a spritz of lemon at the end is fine too. Assuming the pasta takes the usual 10-12 minutes to cook I would start making the sauce in a pan after 3-4 minutes have elapsed, pouring one or two tablespoons of the pasta water into the pan at the end and then the drained pasta one minute before it is done, so an emulsion develops in the pan when you stir. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/14 "2023-08-06T19:31:01Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > dump in a tin of kalemara Assuming you didn’t mean this coffee from Cyprus, what’s kalemara? > **[CYPRUS COFFEE IN TIN - GRINDED 100g](https://paradosiakacy.com/products/cyprus-coffee-in-tin-grinded-100g)** > > KALIMERA! Means goodmorning! With a smile first and then with a cup of Cyprus coffee to start the day. "Kalimera" is a blend of fine arabica coffee that is roasted and ground with care. The one-way valve on the packaging provides an excellent barrier... ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/15 "2023-08-06T19:56:08Z")
The Asian market I mentioned in my last post has a giant freezer case full of different kinds of fish balls and I’ve never really taken a good look at it. I do know they make at least some of them on premises. I’ll have to check that out the next time I go over there. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/16 "2023-08-06T20:04:44Z")
I guess **calamari** is the preferred spelling for English speakers, but in Greek it’s καλαμάρι (squid). I see I should have checked the spelling. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/17 "2023-08-06T20:13:59Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > καλαμάρι Hmm, I’m going to Greece in a couple of months, would be a good idea to pick up some tinned fish while I am there. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/18 "2023-08-06T21:20:18Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I see I should have checked the spelling. I’d overlooked you refered to squid later in the post and I should have picked up on your meaning. Your sauce sounds better than the mussels. ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/19 "2023-08-07T07:06:38Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > …a giant freezer case full of different kinds of fish balls… They’re pretty easy to make at home. Like hamburger patties, they’re something I’d rather make myself, just to eliminate the element of mystery. Fish like cod and hake work, too. Grinding/mincing is the hardest part, and you can use a stick blender for that, so not so hard overall. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-got-some-squid-ink-pasta/988128/20 "2023-08-07T20:47:25Z")
I’m with @alovem. I’m very uneasy about most of the farmed tilapia that are for sale these days, and it’s the main source of cheap white fish in almost any processed food. Now, granted, if it was as hard to make ground/minced fish as it was with heartier cuts (I haven’t used my meatgrinder in years for beef or pork) I’d be of many minds, but most IQF white fish of various qualities can be done with the most wimpy of food processors or even just quick knifework. And I can make sure I add plenty of decent quality, but still inexpensive spice and herbal additions!