Stuffed Squid (Calamari) In Tomato Sauce
Stuffed Squid (Calamari) In Tomato Sauce is an Italian traditional meal served on Christmas Eve and one of the 7 fishes served on our Italian tables. We enjoy this traditional seafood banquet and absolutely love this gourmet treats during the holiday. I am truly blessed to have a family that kept the traditions from generation to generation and my children will do the same.
A real tradition in my family every Christmas Eve. Mom, from Bari, use to prepare this that night, dad would be so impatient as it was his favorite.
Another one of those dishes, when I was a small child I would shun away from. Now, I only wish I could go back in time knowing the art it was to watch her make this so perfect, tender and delectable as she did, then to learn exactly what she put in hers.
After many years of trying to master her recipe, I finally got a taste that brought tears in my eyes to have a part of her in our home for this holiday season.
After all, Christmas Eve is a time for family to be close, making memories for their kids to pass on, this one will be it for me.
I have had her recipes that say ingredients on index cards for years now, there were never amounts written down, until now.
Couple that with even more traditions with the Christmas Eve vigil of awaiting the arrival of Gesu Bambino then add in the Italian fondness for turning any occasion into a reason for cooking and eating in and you have the Feast of the Seven Fishes on the table.
On Christmas Eve, my mom and Grandma would prepare baccala (salt cod), fried smelts, shrimp, spaghetti con aglio e olio with anchovies, eel, and the dish I would like to share with you today which is stuffed calamari (squid)
This is a memorable treat for me, some of my family remembers Mom's stuffed calamari for every Christmas Eve, my kids will now learn our many years of traditional 7 fishes and this dish will now be added with love!
A real tradition in my family every Christmas Eve. Mom, from Bari, use to prepare this that night, dad would be so impatient as it was his favorite.
Another one of those dishes, when I was a small child I would shun away from.
Now, I only wish I could go back in time knowing the art it was to watch her make this so perfect, tender and delectable as she did, then to learn exactly what she put in hers.
These traditions has its roots in Southern Italy and owes its origins in part to the Roman Catholic practice of abstaining from meat on certain days of the week.
It's funny how as we grow older, how much more you think and relive those traditions we remembered as a child, as it becomes more important as an adult.
The story behind this when I was a kid was I was scared to death on the octopus when mom would bring it home.
I would actually hide. I would get teased by everyone.
As a kid I never understood this was something that was going to be transformed into a delicious delicacy. I saw it as a strange sea creature.
Honestly I think I was only around 5 years old then.
Of course as the years went on I got use to it, grew out of the fear and because a huge fan of stuffed squid.
I even helped make the stuffing with mom before she passed and watched intently.
Now that I have grandchildren I will be making this when they come over at Christmas to see if they react the same way as their grandmother did when she was little.
I will be looking to see if they have that look of fear as I am cleaning it.
They're too young right now, I will update you in a few years!
My brothers called them torpedo's.
I guess they do look like them.
That was the nickname that we grew up with and they still call them that now.
It really makes me smile to think back on how simple things were back then and of course times change but the traditions live on.
We hold on to the wonderful memories we grew up with, that makes the holiday so much more important to carry these traditions mom and dad had.
All cleaned and ready to be stuffed. These are really easy to stuff.
Just take some stuffing and force it in with your index finger.
I secure them with toothpicks.
Really if you buy the tubes already cleaned there really isn't much to do other than rinse them off really good.
The sauce over the pasta is the best flavor. It slow simmers and the squid is super soft and easy to cut with a fork.
A lot of folks think their rubbery but they are soft and delicious tender. Very flavorful.
The sauce is in a light marinara sauce and she used fresh plum tomatoes.
A tradition every year here and many Italian homes at Christmas.
I find this dish to be a real delicacy as you can't find it on many menu's if you do you hit the jackpot!
Christmas Eve
Christmas Roundup Recipes
7 Fishes on Christmas Eve Traditions
Christmas Eve Recipes
Baccala
Our One Stop Cookie Shop
More Italian Holiday Recipes
Seas Scallops Insalata Caprese
Shrimp Cocktail
Fried Shrimp
Fried Calamari
Coconut Shrimp
Baked Haddock With Buttery Lobster and Wine Sauce
Best Ever Fish Fry Recipes
Christmas Eve Traditions
A real tradition in my family every Christmas Eve. Mom, from Bari, use to prepare this that night, dad would be so impatient as it was his favorite.
Another one of those dishes, when I was a small child I would shun away from. Now, I only wish I could go back in time knowing the art it was to watch her make this so perfect, tender and delectable as she did, then to learn exactly what she put in hers.
After many years of trying to master her recipe, I finally got a taste that brought tears in my eyes to have a part of her in our home for this holiday season.
After all, Christmas Eve is a time for family to be close, making memories for their kids to pass on, this one will be it for me.
Mom's Recipe
I have had her recipes that say ingredients on index cards for years now, there were never amounts written down, until now.
Couple that with even more traditions with the Christmas Eve vigil of awaiting the arrival of Gesu Bambino then add in the Italian fondness for turning any occasion into a reason for cooking and eating in and you have the Feast of the Seven Fishes on the table.
On Christmas Eve, my mom and Grandma would prepare baccala (salt cod), fried smelts, shrimp, spaghetti con aglio e olio with anchovies, eel, and the dish I would like to share with you today which is stuffed calamari (squid)
So Many Childhood Memories
This is a memorable treat for me, some of my family remembers Mom's stuffed calamari for every Christmas Eve, my kids will now learn our many years of traditional 7 fishes and this dish will now be added with love!
A real tradition in my family every Christmas Eve. Mom, from Bari, use to prepare this that night, dad would be so impatient as it was his favorite.
Another one of those dishes, when I was a small child I would shun away from.
Now, I only wish I could go back in time knowing the art it was to watch her make this so perfect, tender and delectable as she did, then to learn exactly what she put in hers.
These traditions has its roots in Southern Italy and owes its origins in part to the Roman Catholic practice of abstaining from meat on certain days of the week.
It's funny how as we grow older, how much more you think and relive those traditions we remembered as a child, as it becomes more important as an adult.
My Story
The story behind this when I was a kid was I was scared to death on the octopus when mom would bring it home.
I would actually hide. I would get teased by everyone.
As a kid I never understood this was something that was going to be transformed into a delicious delicacy. I saw it as a strange sea creature.
Honestly I think I was only around 5 years old then.
Now a Huge Fan
Of course as the years went on I got use to it, grew out of the fear and because a huge fan of stuffed squid.
I even helped make the stuffing with mom before she passed and watched intently.
Now that I have grandchildren I will be making this when they come over at Christmas to see if they react the same way as their grandmother did when she was little.
I will be looking to see if they have that look of fear as I am cleaning it.
They're too young right now, I will update you in a few years!
Family always had nick names for foods.
My brothers called them torpedo's.
I guess they do look like them.
That was the nickname that we grew up with and they still call them that now.
It really makes me smile to think back on how simple things were back then and of course times change but the traditions live on.
We hold on to the wonderful memories we grew up with, that makes the holiday so much more important to carry these traditions mom and dad had.
The Squid
All cleaned and ready to be stuffed. These are really easy to stuff.
Just take some stuffing and force it in with your index finger.
I secure them with toothpicks.
Really if you buy the tubes already cleaned there really isn't much to do other than rinse them off really good.
The Sauce and Stuffing
The sauce over the pasta is the best flavor. It slow simmers and the squid is super soft and easy to cut with a fork.
A lot of folks think their rubbery but they are soft and delicious tender. Very flavorful.
The sauce is in a light marinara sauce and she used fresh plum tomatoes.
A tradition every year here and many Italian homes at Christmas.
I find this dish to be a real delicacy as you can't find it on many menu's if you do you hit the jackpot!
Stuffed Calamari Pin for later
Try Some of Our Other Traditional Favorite Recipes
Christmas Eve
Christmas Roundup Recipes
7 Fishes on Christmas Eve Traditions
Christmas Eve Recipes
Baccala
Our One Stop Cookie Shop
More Italian Holiday Recipes
Seas Scallops Insalata Caprese
Shrimp Cocktail
Fried Shrimp
Fried Calamari
Coconut Shrimp
Baked Haddock With Buttery Lobster and Wine Sauce
Best Ever Fish Fry Recipes
calamari, stuffed squid, stuffed calamari, Italian, Christmas Eve, Italian tradition, seafood, pasta
seafood, squid, pasta, christmas eve
Italian
Yield: 8
Stuffed Squid (Calamari) In Tomato Sauce
prep time: 45 mins cook time: 1 hour and 25 mins total time: 1 hours and 70 mins
This is a traditional meal for an Italian family on Christmas Eve call Stuffed Squid. It is served over pasta in a rich tomato sauce.
ingredients:
20 cleaned calamari/squid tubes (This will stuff 20 small tubes. Make a double batch if you have large tubes.)
2 cups bread crumbs Italian flavored
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup Romano grating cheese
2 cloves minced garlic
6 hard boiled eggs finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes
1/2 cup olive oil or more
Marinara Sauce (that's what I use) or
Traditional Sunday Sauce (without meat )or your favorite sauce
Pasta of choice boiled in salt water
instructions:
In a medium size bowl mix bread crumbs with all seasonings. On the side of the squid opening cut a small slit to open the tops wider. Stuff the squid using your fingers to get down to the end of the squid being careful not to rip them open at the bottoms and leave expanding space at the tops. After filling all the squid, secure the tops of each one with tooth picks. I like to brown mine first before adding to the pot of sauce. I saute them in olive oil with some minced garlic until browned. (You don't have to do this step if you don't want to.) I then drop them into a 5 quart pot of tomato sauce and cook for three hours on low or more until the squid is soft and tender. At least 1 hour and 30 minutes, sometimes longer depending on how soft they are, you need to test them.
Serve the squid over linguine, percatelli, or your favorite pasta.
Differences?
The word calamari is the plural form of the Italian word for squid, Calamaro. It's calamar in Spanish. The name derives from the Latin word calamarium for "ink pot."Since calamari seems to sound more palatable than the word squid, you will most often see squid recipes listed as calamari on restaurant menus, recipes, etc. It's one of those words that just "sounds better" or "has class," according to some people. Whether you eat calamari or squid, you're eating the same thing.
calories
320
320
fat (grams)
9
9
sat. fat (grams)
12
12
carbs (grams)
8
8
net carbs
11
11
protein (grams)
11
11
sugar (grams)
4
4
Created using The Recipes Generator
Stuffed Calamari Pin for later
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