STUFFED CALAMARI
KALAMARIA YEMISTA

Stuffed Calamari is filled with rice and served with a thick red sauce, a tender dish, full of flavour.

There are several methods with Greek cuisine in how the Greeks prepare foods that give it that distinctive Greek touch.
Stuffing food is a popular way of serving all types of food and this stuffed squid recipe creates a tasty, satisfying fish dish.

A welcome change to serve squid in a different way, rather than the typical calamari recipes fried in batter.

Ingredients

1 kg squid hoods, cleaned
125ml dry white wine
180ml tomato puree
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
25g white breadcrumbs

Filling

75ml olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
150g short grain rice
1/2 bunch, @ 300g English spinach or silverbeet, shredded
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
160ml tomato puree
180ml water
optional - toothpicks

Preparation

To make the filling, heat oil in a deep frying pan and add onion and garlic.
Fry, stirring, until onion is soft and golden.
Add the rice, and stir until it is coated with oil for 2 or 3 minutes.
Add the spinach, parsley, nutmeg, puree and water.
Mix well and simmer, uncovered, stirring occassionally, until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Leave to cool slightly before filling the calamari.

Make sure the squid hoods have been cleaned thoroughly.
Fill each calamari hood with the rice mixture.
You may want to secure the openings with wooden toothpicks to stop the filling from falling out during baking.
Grease a large baking tray that is big enough for all the calamari to lay flat on the tray.
Place squid in a single layer on the baking tray.
Mix the white wine, tomato puree, lemon juice and olive oil and pour over the squid in the tray.
Bake, uncovered in oven 180 C, 350 F, gas 4, for 15 minutes.
Turn squid over.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the squid and return to the oven to bake for a further 15 minutes or until the squid is lightly browned and tender.
Stand for 5 minutes, then remove toothpicks.
To serve, cut stuffed squid into rings and pour the cooking liquid over the top of the sliced stuffed calamari.