Braised Squid in Tomato Sauce

To prepare the braised squid in tomato sauce, start with the sauce. In a large saucepan, pour the oil and garlic 1, let the oil flavor for about a couple of minutes over low heat. Pour the peeled tomatoes into a bowl and lightly crush them with a fork, then when the oil is hot pour in the peeled tomatoes 2. Let it cook on low heat for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If it dries out too much while cooking, you can dilute with a little water. Once cooking is complete, the sauce will have thickened, remove the garlic clove with kitchen tongs 3 and set aside.

Then deal with the cleaning of the squid: rinse them under running water 4, then with your hands pull the head from the mantle 5. Continue with the removal of the transparent cartilage pen found in the mantle 6.

Wash the squid thoroughly again and use your hands to remove the innards 7. Now eliminate the outer skin: make an incision with a knife on the end part of the mantle, just enough to grab a flap of the skin, and completely pull off the covering 8. Finally, remove the fins 9

Separate the head from the tentacles by cutting with a knife just below the eyes 10. Take the tentacles and eliminate the central beak 11. Now open the mantle like a book with a knife 12

Make an incision on the end part 13 and cut the mantle and fins into strips about half an inch wide 14. Leave the tentacles whole. Drain the squid in a colander 15,

In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a skillet with the whole peeled garlic clove 16, then pour in the cleaned and drained squid 17, sauté over high heat for 2-3 minutes: they will curl up. Deglaze with white wine 18 and let it evaporate.

Remove the garlic with kitchen tongs 19 and pour the squid with all the seasoning into the tomato sauce 20. Salt, pepper to taste and let it cook with a lid on low heat for about 10 minutes 21.

Once cooking is complete, turn off the heat, finely chop the fresh parsley and add it to the squid (22-23). Your braised squid is ready to be served hot 24!