If you’re a sea food fan, then you’ll like this recipe for sure! I’ve been making it for years and it’s one of my signature dishes! Tender calamari cooked in a tomato sauce with sweet raisins and pine nuts, a dish that is so rich in flavors that you’ll enjoy every bit(e) of it! And it’s extremely easy to prepare. The only downside that I find is washing the calamari, a process that takes some time. Using fresh calamari is best but it takes even longer to wash and it’s rarely available. But even if you get the frozen kind which is usually cleaned, you’ll still need to rinse it well under cold running water, both the tubes – inside and out- , and the tentacles – scrubbing with your hands to remove any sand.
I usually add golden raisins but this time I had only dark raisins on hand and they worked amazingly well, too.
At room temperature, it can be served as an appetizer or it can be combined with a green salad. The way I like to serve it, however, is warm, as a main course over freshly cooked white rice.
Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 pounds (about 750 g) Calamari, washed, drained, patted dry with paper towel, and cut into 1-2 inches pieces
- 5 green onions (both white & green parts), chopped
- 1/2 cup raisins (preferably golden)
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tablespoons dill
- 2 tablespoons Greek virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper
In a large non-stick skillet with lid, heat the olive oil and add the green onions and cook for a few minutes
Add the calamari and stir occasionally until all liquids have evaporated.
Add the tomato paste and cook for about one minute on one side of the skillet.
Add the rest of the ingredients, place the lid on the skillet and cook for about 40-50 minutes until the calamari is tender and the sauce is unified.
