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Four totani ripieni stuffed with breadcrumbs and capers simmering in tomato sauce in a terracotta pan

Totani Ripieni (Stuffed Flying Squid)

Stuffed flying squid simmered in tomato sauce with a breadcrumb, caper, and tentacle filling. Ready in under an hour.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the squid and filling
  • 8 medium flying squid (totani), cleaned, tentacles reserved about 120 g each cleaned weight
  • 80 g stale white bread, crusts removed torn into small pieces
  • 3 tbsp whole milk (for soaking bread) or water
  • all reserved squid tentacles, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp capers, rinsed and roughly chopped salt-packed preferred
  • 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped divided
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil divided
  • to taste fine sea salt
  • to taste black pepper, freshly ground
For the tomato sauce
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
  • 80 ml dry white wine Trebbiano or Pinot Grigio
  • 400 g whole peeled tomatoes, hand-crushed one standard can
  • to taste fine sea salt
  • 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped for finishing

Method
 

Make the filling
  1. Soak the stale bread in the milk for 3 minutes, then squeeze out the liquid firmly and crumble the bread into a mixing bowl.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped tentacles and half the minced garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the tentacles are opaque and any liquid has evaporated.
  3. Add the tentacle mixture to the bowl with the bread. Add the capers, 2 tbsp parsley, and the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper and mix until the filling holds together loosely.
Stuff the squid
  1. Pat the squid tubes dry with paper towels. Using a small spoon, fill each tube two-thirds full with the breadcrumb mixture - do not pack it tight.
  2. Close the open end of each squid by folding it over and securing with a wooden toothpick. Set aside on a plate.
Brown and simmer
  1. Heat the olive oil for the sauce in a 28 cm saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the stuffed squid in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes per side until lightly golden. Work in batches if needed. Remove the squid and set aside.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the crushed garlic clove to the same pan and cook for 30 seconds until pale and fragrant. Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Let it reduce by half, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the hand-crushed tomatoes, stir to combine, and season with salt. Nestle the browned stuffed squid back into the pan in a single layer.
  4. Cover the pan with a lid set slightly ajar. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 25 minutes, turning the squid once halfway through, until the squid are opaque and tender when pierced with a knife.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the pan from the heat and let the squid rest for 5 minutes. Remove the toothpicks from each squid.
  2. Scatter the remaining chopped parsley over the pan. Taste the sauce and adjust salt. Serve with the sauce spooned generously over the squid.

Notes

If your squid tubes are larger than 120 g each, add 5 minutes to the simmering time and check for tenderness with a knife tip before serving.