Pasta with baby squid and spinach pesto

Name: Pasta with baby squid and spinach pesto
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Casarecce pasta 11.3 oz; Baby squid 7.1 oz; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp; Garlic 1 clove; Fine salt to taste; Parsley the stems to taste; Black pepper to taste; Spinach 3.3 cups; Pine nuts 1 oz; Extra virgin olive oil 4 tbsp; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1 oz; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Lemon peel 1

Lactose Free

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serving: 4

PRESENTATION

Pasta with Baby Squid and Spinach Pesto swaps out basil for fresh baby spinach, building the sauce instead from pine nuts, Parmesan, and lemon zest — a combination that lands bright and citrusy rather than rich. Casarecce holds onto the creamy green pesto well, and the squid are calamaretti spillo, a small variety that goes into a hot pan for just long enough to stay tender and carry their own mild flavor without getting lost in the sauce. The pesto comes together quickly, and the squid take only minutes in the pan — the whole dish moves fast without feeling rushed.

No tomato, no cream, no briny reduction: the squid stays gentle against the lemon-spiked pesto, and the lemon zest does most of the work of lifting the whole plate. It is also an easy way to use baby spinach outside of a salad or a simple side, letting it anchor something a little more unexpected. The result is a fresh, colorful pasta that works well as a weeknight first course and holds its own against heavier fish-based sauces.

INGREDIENTS

Casarecce pasta 11.3 oz (320 g)

Baby squid 7.1 oz (200 g)

Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (20 g)

Garlic 1 clove

Fine salt to taste

Parsley to taste - the stems

Black pepper to taste

for the baby spinach pesto: Spinach 3.3 cups (100 g); Pine nuts 1 oz (30 g); Extra virgin olive oil 4 tbsp (60 g); Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1 oz (30 g); Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Lemon peel 1

Preparation

How to prepare Pasta with baby squid and spinach pesto

To prepare the pasta with baby squid and baby spinach pesto, first clean the baby squid. Remove the beak, then rinse them well under running water 1 and transfer them to a colander so they can lose excess water. Meanwhile, bring a pot of plenty of water to a boil, which you will need to cook the pasta. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp (about 20 g) of oil in a pan with the garlic and parsley stems 2. Let them flavor for about 2 minutes over high heat, then add the well-drained baby squid 3.

Season with salt 4 and pepper, then cook the baby squid for 2–3 minutes, still over high heat, stirring often 5. At this point prepare the pesto. Place the washed and dried baby spinach and the pine nuts in the jar of a blender 6.

Add the grated Parmesan 7, the oil 8 and the lemon zest 9.

Season with salt and pepper and blend until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous cream 10. When the water comes to a boil, salt it and cook the casarecce 11. Drain them al dente, reserving a little of the cooking water, then transfer them to a bowl where you have already poured the baby spinach pesto 12.

Mix thoroughly 13; if necessary add a little of the cooking water to obtain a creamier consistency. Divide the pasta among plates and top with the reserved baby squid 14. Serve immediately 15.

Storage

It is recommended to eat the pasta with baby squid and baby spinach pesto immediately after preparation. If any is left over, you can store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

Freezing is not recommended.

Tip

To personalize the pesto you can replace the pine nuts with other nuts, such as almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts. Also, for a more intense citrus note, you can use lime zest instead of lemon zest.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

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