Moscardini alla busara

To make the moscardini alla busara, start by preparing the polenta that will accompany them. Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. When the water reaches boiling, salt it 1 and pour in a splash of extra virgin olive oil 2. Then gradually add the white polenta flour 3.

Vigorously stir with a whisk to avoid lumps 4 and cook on low heat for 40-50 minutes. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon or whisk until a thick and creamy mixture forms 5. To keep the polenta soft, you can add some hot water while continuing to stir 6, otherwise, if it becomes solid, you can transfer it to a pan, cut it into slices, and grill it in the oven.

In the meantime, focus on the moscardini: wash them carefully under cold running water 7, pat them slightly with a kitchen towel or paper towel, and place them on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife and, with an incision, remove the eyes located just before the tentacle attachment 8. Then remove the beak, which is at the root of the tentacles 9.

Also remove the small white ball that encloses the beak 10. In this case, adhering to the original recipe, it will not be necessary to eviscerate the moscardini, i.e., remove the internal guts from the sac. Now bring water to a boil in a pot, salt it 11 and add the moscardini 12. The cooking time will vary based on the size of the moscardini: for 4 moscardini weighing around 5 oz each, cook for about 20 minutes after the water resumes boiling. If you want to halve the cooking time, use a pressure cooker and cook for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, take a fresh red chili pepper, chop it (alternatively, you can use the powdered version), and crush a clove of garlic without peeling it 13. Then pour a drizzle of oil into a non-stick pan, sauté the crushed clove of garlic with the skin on over low heat 14, and add the chopped chili pepper 15.

When the moscardini are tender, drain them from the cooking water and let them cool slightly 16. To check the cooking point, you can prick the moscardini with the tines of a fork to check their consistency, and extend the cooking time if necessary. Now place the cooled moscardini on a cutting board and cut them lengthwise 17, then add them to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes 18.

Pour the room temperature dry white wine into a small jug and add the tomato paste 19, stirring well until completely dissolved. Add the liquid 20 and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. At this point, the moscardini alla busara are ready to be plated 21 and accompanied by a portion of white polenta, which you can serve directly with the moscardini or transfer to a cutting board. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and enjoy!