Nashville Hot Calamari

SAVORY

Nov 1

Cuttlefish Ink-Cherry Pepper Fusilli and Sauce Amatriciana

Chefs Eric and Mark Plescha of Charcoal BYOB | Yardley, PA

Yield: 25 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Calamari:
62 grams fine sea salt
454 grams squid arms, tentacles, and mantles
454 grams buttermilk
454 grams milk
5 pickled cherry peppers, quartered, seeded

Ink Pasta:
1 kilogram semolina flour
2½ grams baking soda
35 grams cuttlefish ink

Cherry Pepper Pasta:
1 kilogram semolina flour
2½ grams baking soda
150 grams stemmed and seeded pickled cherry peppers

Calamari Flour:
420 grams potato starch
30 grams onion powder
25 grams garlic powder
30 grams fine sea salt
15 grams smoked paprika
2 grams cayenne pepper
5 grams bay leaf powder

Nashville Hot Oil:
5 kilograms rice bran oil
80 grams arbol chiles
120 grams peeled garlic cloves
100 grams cayenne pepper
40 grams smoked paprika
24 grams chile powder

Nashville Hot Shake:
58 grams cayenne pepper
55 grams fine sea salt
38 grams garlic powder
35 grams sugar
32 grams black pepper
34 grams smoked paprika
7 grams mustard powder
5 grams dried pickle powder

Sauce Amatriciana:
56 grams olive oil
454 grams country ham ends
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, grated
1.588 kilograms plum tomatoes, peeled and crushed by hand
9 grams fine sea salt
8 grams sugar
6 basil leaves

To Assemble and Serve:
Grated lemon zest
Finely chopped parsley
Extra virgin olive oil

METHOD:

For the Calamari:
Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 161°F. Prepare an ice water bath. In a half-gallon Cambro, combine 1 kilogram water and 50 grams of the salt. Add squid and brine 10 minutes; drain. Transfer squid to a vacuum bag and compress on high. Cook sous vide 10 minutes. Cool bag in ice bath. When chilled, cut mantles into long strips and halve tentacles and arms widthwise. In a separate Cambro, combine milks and remaining salt. Add squid and cherry peppers. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

For the Ink Pasta:
In a bowl, combine flour and baking soda. In a separate bowl, combine ink and 300 grams water. To a pasta extruder, add dry ingredients, stream in ink, and mix 5 minutes. Turn mixer off and check consistency of dough. Add more water, if needed. Mix 10 minutes. Turn off mixer and let dough rest 10 minutes. Extrude pasta through a fusilli die.

For the Cherry Pepper Pasta:
In a bowl, combine flour and baking soda. To a Vitamix blender, add peppers and 150 grams water; purée. To a pasta extruder, add dry ingredients, stream in purée, and mix 5 minutes. Turn mixer off and check consistency of dough. Add more water, if needed. Mix 10 minutes. Turn off mixture and let dough rest 10 minutes. Extrude pasta through a fusilli die.

For the Calamari Flour:
In a bowl, combine all ingredients.

For the Nashville Hot Oil:
In a large pot, combine all ingredients, heat to 158°F, and hold for 2 hours. Cool to room temperature. Strain through a chinois; discard solids.

For the Nashville Hot Shake
In an airtight, dry-storage container, combine all ingredients.

For the Sauce Amatriciana
In a rondeau over medium flame, heat oil and sauté ham and onion 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, and sugar. Simmer 30 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in basil, and pick out and discard ham ends.

To Assemble and Serve
In a large bowl, combine Ink and Cherry Pepper Pastas. Divide pasta into 75-gram portions. Drain squid, coat thoroughly in Calamari Flour, shake off excess, and place on a sheet tray in a single layer. Allow starch to hydrate 1 hour. Bring a pot of salted (2 percent) water to a boil. In a deep fryer, heat Nashville Hot Oil to 375°F. Fry a few ounces calamari until golden, about 2 minutes; drain. While calamari is hot, sprinkle with Nashville Hot Shake. Drop pasta in boiling water and cook 2 minutes and 10 seconds; drain. In a sauté pan over medium-low flame, heat just enough Sauce Amatriciana to coat the pasta. Add cooked pasta to pan and toss to coat with sauce. Adjust consistency and seasoning with pasta water. Remove from heat. Arrange pasta in a serving bowl. Top with calamari and garnish with zest, parsley, and olive oil.

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