When we recall the Isle of Capri { KAH- pree} we remember a beautiful lush paradise and a wonderful dish that we sampled there -- Calamari {Italian for squid} with Lemon over Pasta. The calamari rings are in a light fresh sauce that lets this squid recipe shine through.
Next time try this citrusy shrimp dish also inspired from on trip to Capri.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy to make
- Uses simple ingredients
- Quick to prepare
- Delicious and light in flavor
Do you associate food with places you've been?
It's almost a game with us. Our daughter can tell you what she ordered, where she ordered it and even what she wore!
That's our princess. 🙂
I remember the minute we stepped off the vaporetto onto the Isle of Capri we were caught up with all of the hustle and bustle that was going on. Everyone was rushing about and at first we couldn't figure out where they were going in such a rush?
Well we should have remembered the funicular. That's a sort of tram that takes you up and down the steep cliff to Capri town. That's where all the shops, restaurants and hotels are. We were caught up in the crowd and moved right along with the rest of the visitors.
Once we disgorged from the funicular it again was a mad rush. Where they were all rushing to, we didn't know. Wasn't this supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable?
It wasn't until a few hours later when we were checked into our hotel and walking around that we could take the time to relax and appreciate the beauty of our surroundings.
We were awestruck!
The Gulf of Naples that surrounds the rocky island was a breathtaking deep sapphire blue.
We spent several days on the island walking everywhere.
There were bottegas {stores, shops} that sold the typical souvenirs but there were also the high end bottegas. At those shops we just looked in the windows.
We wandered up and down the streets, including the alleys, and everywhere we went there were restaurants.
We love seafood, it has always been one of our favorites, and we were now in a place where everything was fresh.
We stopped at a small restaurant with al fresco dining. On the menu was Calamari with Lemon. That made up our minds, we simply had to order the calamari.
When the waiter placed the prepared plate in front of us the most amazing aroma of seafood, lemon and garlic rose to tease our senses. We ate slowly savoring every bite and with each bite we tried to figure out the ingredients.
Lemon was a given -- it was part of the dish name but Capri is also know for its lemons.
We could see the little spicy red pepper flakes, so we had another ingredient.
Then there was a subtle brininess to the dish. Hummmm, we thought -- calamari wouldn't have that salty taste so we thought of using anchovies.
We could taste the garlic -- that was a no brainer -- we could also see and taste the basil. We detected something else so we started pushing the pasta strands around and there they were -- small capers.
There was so much to see and do and unfortunately not enough time!
One thing we had planned on seeing was the Blue Grotto {Grotta Azzurra} -- everyone told us that was a must. So, one morning we went back down to the marina in order to buy our ticket for the ride to the Blue Grotto. We knew there would be a line but not that big of a crowd.
Then we overheard some English speaking visitors talking about their experience in the little dinghy that actually takes you inside the cave. They said, without enthusiasm, that the man rowing the boat spouted a few things about the cave, sang "O Sole Mio", then returned them to the main boat.
My Honey looked at me and then at the barche a noleggio ( boats for rent) sign that pointed to a shop a few yards away. He turned and said to me, "Let's rent a boat and I'll sing to you." I just smiled, my Honey, singing? This was going to be some excursion.
We had the best time and we couldn't stop laughing, especially after we saw the people on the boat waiting for their turn to go inside the Grotta Azzurra. We had made such a wise decision in renting a boat and taking our own sweet time around the island.
There is no comparison between looking down at the incredible Faraglioni Rocks from Capri town and riding through the eye of one of them in our little boat.
An experience to remember!
When we returned home we couldn't stop looking at our pictures. And whenever we looked at the pictures our conversation would invariably turn to our delicious calamari pasta dish.
We knew what we had to do, we would try to duplicate the Pasta Calamari Capri. . .
. . .Chi cerca, trova {He who seeks, finds}.
Un caro saluto e alla prossima.
Recipe
This Pasta Calamari recipe is super easy to make and it's budget friendly. If you like dinners that are easy on the pocket book, our Cheese Stuffed Rigatoni will have you jumping for joy!
📖 Recipe
Pasta Calamari Capri
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta -- we used spaghetti -- be sure to cook just below al dente
- 1 pound frozen cleaned calamari rings or 1 pound fresh cleaned calamari sliced into rings.
- 2 ounce can of anchovies oil reserved (about 2 Tablespoons)
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 20 grape tomatoes halved
- 5 large garlic cloves chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 Tablespoon rinsed capers
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
- 1 ½ cups dry white wine
- 1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
- Small basil leaves to sprinkle on top
- Grated parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, generously season with salt. Add the pasta and cook until just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta and reserve ½ cup of the water.
- Thaw out the frozen calamari by running cold water over the rings. Once they are thawed remove excess moisture by blotting with paper towels. This step can be omitted if using fresh calamari.
- Meanwhile heat reserved oil from anchovies and the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, crushed red pepper, anchovies, capers, lemon juice and stir 1 or 2 minutes. The anchovies will melt and disappear as they cook. Add the calamari and toss until opaque, about 1 more minute.With a slotted spoon remove the calamari from the pan. This prevents the seafood from overcooking and having the texture of rubber bands.
- Add the dry white wine; boil until sauce is slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and continue to simmer for an additional 1 or 2 minutes.
- Add the pasta to the mixture in skillet and toss. Toss until heated through and the sauce coats the pasta. Sprinkle in the lemon zest ,sliced basil leaves and calamari and toss again, about 2 minutes. If the pasta seems dry, add a small amount of the reserved water to the pasta.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garnish with additional basil.
Nutrition
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