This is a recipe from my mom. I watched her make this dish as a kid, but I do not know the exact quantities. Eyeballing and adjusting to taste are in the spirit of Italian cooking.

Ingredients:

8 baby squid (calamaretti)

extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

2 fresh tomatoes on the vine (small)

a splash of dry white wine

curry powder

salt

chilly pepper

parsley

Ideally, buy the baby squid fresh from the market (whole) and clean them. Do not throw away the tentacles (the best part!). If you cannot find fresh baby squid, thaw the frozen squids thoroughly. Dry the squids on a piece of paper to remove excess water.

Chop the garlic, the tomatoes, and the parsley. Once you start cooking things will go really fast.

Pour some extra virgin olive oil in a pot (ideally clay) and place above high heat. The oil needs to get really hot, but not fuming. Place the squids in the hot oil (be careful -- it will now start to get messy). Add a pinch of curry powder and the chilly pepper. After one minute, add a splash of dry white wine. Cook on a high heat for couple of minutes total. The timing depends on the size of the squids, the smaller the shorter they need to cook for. The key is to slightly cook the squids, but do not overcook them. They become rubbery otherwise. Now add the garlic. Turn off the heat (the clay pot will keep everything warm). Add the fresh chopped tomatoes and the parsley. Do not use tomato sauce, or canned tomatoes. These tomatoes will overpower every other flavor. Taste and add salt, if needed. This dish can be served on its own as an appetizer. Or on a bed of rice, or couscous as a main. It also works well with spaghetti if you add one more tomato.

It pairs nicely with a glass of Ceretto Blange Arneis 2009 (just a glass- don't drink too much!)

Prof. Rolandi