Spaghetti with Calamari in a Garlic, Pepper, and Spicy Olive Oil Sauce
Chef Louis LindicTreehouse RestaurantAtlanta, Georgia
Serves 4
½ cup quality olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ red onion, sliced crosswise
Salt
2 hot banana peppers, sliced into rings
¼ cup pepper olive oil
1 pound spaghetti or spaghettini
1¼ pounds calamari (squid), bodies cut into ½-inch-wide rings and tentacles left whole
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped Juice of 1 lemon
Freshly ground pepper to taste
In a skillet, heat ¼ cup of the olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic and onion, salt lightly, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the banana peppers and cook for another 2 minutes. Set the pan aside.
In a large pot, bring at least 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt.
Meanwhile, place the pepper oil and the remaining ¼ cup olive oil in a pan large enough to accommodate all the ingredients, including the pasta. Heat the oils over medium heat. At the same time, add the pasta to the boiling water, stir to separate, and cook until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, add the calamari to the oil and fry quickly for 1 minute. Add the garlic mixture to the calamari and turn off the heat. (There will be enough heat remaining to heat the ingredients and finish cooking the calamari.
As soon as the pasta is ready, drain quickly and thoroughly and add to the pan holding the calamari.) Mix gently. Transfer to a warm platter and sprinkle with the lemon juice and parsley.
