Casarecce with confit cuttlefish and beans

by Ed Halmagyi

Ingredients

  • 500g cuttlefish, cleaned
  • 2 cups olive oil
  • 6 peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 500g casarecce pasta
  • ½ bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp capers
  • zest 2 lemons
  • ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp cider vinegar
  • ½ cup beans, sliced very finely
  • 2 roma tomatoes, diced finely
  • ½ bunch basil leaves, torn
  • crusty bread and pecorino cheese, to serve

Instructions

1 Slice the cuttlefish finely and place in a small saucepan with the olive oil, peppercorns and bay leaves. Set over a low heat and cook very gently for 45 minutes, then allow to cool slowly in the saucepan.
2 Cook the pasta according to manufacturer’s instructions until al dente in rapidly boiling salted water.
3 Place the parsley, capers, lemon zest and pine nuts in a mortar and pestle and pound until smooth. Stir in the extra virgin olive oil and vinegar. Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce.
4 Combine with the beans, tomatoes, basil and drained cuttlefish. Serve with crusty bread and pecorino cheese