Gennaro Contaldo’s Calamari and Saffron Risotto, and Calamari alle Olive

The lightly toasted pine nuts give this calamari risotto a nice crunch.

Calamari and saffron risotto.

Include the tentacles, if you like. The second recipe, calamari with olives, is a traditional southern Italian dish that’s best served with lots of toasted country-style bread to mop up the juices.

Calamari and saffron risotto

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

2 small shallots, finely chopped

400g calamari, sliced into rings

320g (1¾ cups) risotto rice

150ml (²⁄³ cup) white wine

1.5 litres (6½ cups) hot vegetable stock

30g (2 tablespoons) butter

Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

A few saffron strands, soaked in a little vegetable stock

50g (¹⁄³ cup) pine nuts (optional)

2 teaspoons chilli flakes (optional)

Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a high heat; add shallots and sweat for 1 minute, then add calamari and stir-fry for 4 minutes. Stir in rice, making sure each grain is coated in oil. Add wine and cook until rice has absorbed it. Reduce heat to medium and add a couple of ladles of hot stock, stirring with a wooden spoon until the rice has absorbed it all. Add a couple more ladles of stock and continue to cook in this way, stirring and adding more stock, for about 20 minutes, until the rice is al dente. Remove from heat, add butter, parsley and saffron strands in their stock; mix well. Heat a small frying pan, add pine nuts and cook for 1 minute or so until toasted. Divide risotto between four bowls, top with toasted pine nuts and chilli flakes (if desired) and add a final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serves 4

Calamari alle olive

1kg calamari

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Handful fresh parsley, finely chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

100ml white wine

240g tomato passata

200g black olives

Rustic bread such as ciabatta, toasted to serve

Wash calamari under cold running water, pat dry on paper towels and cut into rings. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic and parsley and sweat for a couple of minutes. Stir in calamari rings, season with a little salt and pepper, increase heat to high and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add wine and allow the alcohol to cook off. Add passata and olives, cover with a lid, reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Serve with crusty bread. Serves 4-6

Gennaro Contaldo starred in the SBS series Two Greedy Italians with the late Antonio Carluccio. Extract from Gennaro’s Fast Cook Italian (Pavilion Books, $39.99). Photography: Kim Lightbody