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Messina-style calamari served in a traditional terracotta dish

Messina-Style Calamari — A Taste of the Sicilian Sea

Tender calamari simmered with tomatoes, white wine and sweet onions — a simple, sun-drenched Sicilian dish from the shores of Messina.

Author: Lucia Amato • Published on: April 17, 2024
Categories: Seafood Main Courses Main Courses
Tags: garlic calamari onions sicilian extra-virgin olive oil black pepper tomatoes parsley sea salt white wine Messina
⏱️
Prep Time
20 minutes
🔥
Cook Time
35 minutes
👥
Serve
Serves 4
📊
Difficulty
Medium
💰 Moderate
🗓️ Summer
⭐ 4.9/5

🛒 Ingredients

  • ✓ 1 kg fresh calamari
  • ✓ 1 onion
  • ✓ 2 garlic cloves
  • ✓ 400 g peeled tomatoes
  • ✓ 50 ml dry white wine
  • ✓ extra-virgin olive oil
  • ✓ small bunch fresh parsley
  • ✓ Trapani sea salt
  • ✓ freshly ground black pepper

📊 Nutritional Information

Calories
280 kcal
Protein
32 g
Fat
12 g
Carbohydrates
6 g
Fiber
0.2 g
Sodium
180 mg

If you’d like to bring the scent of the Sicilian coastline into your kitchen, Messina-style calamari is exactly the dish to make. This comforting recipe balances the natural sweetness of onions with the brininess of fresh calamari and the warmth of simmered tomatoes. It’s wonderfully simple yet full of character — the kind of family dish you might enjoy on a breezy evening overlooking the Strait of Messina.

Slow cooking keeps the calamari tender, while a splash of white wine and a finishing handful of fresh parsley lift the flavours. Serve it with rustic bread or a little plain rice to soak up the rich, fragrant sauce.

👨‍🍳 Preparation

  1. 1

    Clean the calamari thoroughly, removing the head, innards and outer skin. Slice into rings and keep the tentacles aside.

  2. 2

    Heat a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil in a large terracotta dish and add the finely chopped onion along with the crushed garlic cloves.

  3. 3

    Cook gently until the onion becomes soft and translucent.

  4. 4

    Add the calamari and sauté for a few minutes, stirring carefully.

  5. 5

    Pour in the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.

  6. 6

    Stir in the crushed peeled tomatoes, a pinch of salt and pepper, then cover and cook over a low heat for about 30 minutes.

  7. 7

    When the sauce has thickened and the calamari are tender, remove from the heat and add freshly chopped parsley.

  8. 8

    Serve piping hot with rustic bread or plain white rice.

💡 Tips and Variations

For a deeper, more Sicilian flavour, add a few Pantelleria capers and a handful of black olives. If you like a little heat, a pinch of chilli will make the sauce wonderfully lively.

📦 Storage

  • • Keep in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
  • • Reheat gently in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil.
  • • Avoid freezing once cooked, as calamari can become rubbery.
  • • You can prepare the sauce in advance and add the calamari when ready to cook.
  • • Serve very hot for the best texture.

🍷 Pairing

Enjoy with a glass of Faro DOC — Messina’s own aromatic, spicy red wine that pairs beautifully with seafood dishes rich in tomato and herbs.

Now you’ve prepared these Messina-style calamari, you can enjoy a truly authentic taste of Sicily at home. It’s a dish full of Mediterranean soul — simple, generous and wonderfully fragrant. Buon appetito!

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