Squid ink pasta (spaghetti al nero di seppia)

Steps

1. Rinse the cuttlefish, pat dry, and cut the bodies into strips about 1/2 inch wide, chopping the tentacles into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the shallot, garlic, and parsley, keeping the parsley stems separate.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 3 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic, parsley stems, and crushed red pepper. Stir for 1 minute without letting the garlic brown.
3. Increase the heat to high, add the cuttlefish, and sear for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it turns opaque white. Pour in the white wine and cook for 2 minutes to reduce by half, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.
4. Stir in the tomato passata and half a cup of water, season with fine salt, cover, and simmer over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cuttlefish is tender. Add a splash of water if the sauce starts to stick.
5. Dilute the cuttlefish ink in a ladleful of warm sauce, then stir it back into the pan: the sauce will turn glossy and jet black. Let it simmer gently for 5 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, season generously with coarse salt, and cook the spaghetti for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
7. Transfer the spaghetti directly to the sauce along with a splash of pasta cooking water. Toss vigorously over high heat using tongs for 2 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and evenly coated in the gleaming black sauce. Add more pasta water if the sauce becomes too thick.
8. Off the heat, toss in the chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately in warm bowls, without Parmesan.