Squid Ink Pasta
So... I personally am not fimiliar with this type of food, or even how it tastes- But i saw it a while back in a magazine with Bjork posing with this dish of BLACK gooey mess in front of her. At first what I could make of it was that it must be some type of animal innard, considering how unclear the photo was...but after reading the caption- it was actually these squid ink pasta served fresh somewhere in a foreign country she was currently visiting.
See how she kills it? But this is where I first discovered the pasta and got curious, except the pose chosen for the magazine wasn't as repulsive. :PThis dish will be on my to do list, preferably sometime in December :)
Meanwhile, I will quote other bloggers and websites on how this actually tastes like- and suprisingly it is said to be quite delicious!
What is squid ink pasta?
According to www.recipetips.com
"Any type of pasta that has been enhanced with the chemical substance extracted from the ocean squid so it becomes very black in color. Squid ink, which is also available from the Cuddlefish (related to the Squid family), is added to the water and dough as pasta is made, creating very black colored pasta. This ink provides a salty and somewhat sweet flavor as an ingredient and coloring to the pasta. Ribbons of pasta, such as Squid Ink Tagliatelle, are produced that are single pieces of black pasta. Another version of Squid Ink pasta is dual colored pasta (due colori) that is produced by combining a ball of black colored pasta with a ball of natural or white colored pasta. The dough is rolled flat so the black is on one side and the white on the other and then as it is placed into the pasta maker it comes out with the dual coloring, one for each side."
Of course there are many recipes and ways of how squid ink noodles are presented, aside from just the noodles having the flavour- there is the other alternative where people have used squid ink as the sauce for regular pasta.
www.FXcuisine.com
This site has wonderfully well illustrated photos for this particular recipe!
Where would one find Squid Ink Pasta in Toronto?
http:Chowhound.chow
Has a bunch of responses from local net users, and here are some of the results:
-"Joso's, for the quintessential experience, as they also have the best calamari in the city. Enjoy!"
-"I've seen fresh squid ink pasta at Pusateri's on Bay."
-"Hi! I don't know of anywhere you can pick it up locally, but you can order it online. http://www.alfonsogourmetpasta.com has a few different pastas, including a lobster and shrimp ravioli with squid ink dough. Sounds incredible. I might actually have to order some. I have also heard that you can order it at Dean and Deluca's web site, but their web site is really cranky and I can't get in right now. Since most of their products are well over-priced, I am assuming their squid ink pasta will be as well. The stuff at Alfonsogourmet will run you between $8.99 per lb. for fettucine and linguine to $12.99 per lb. for items like black squid ink and white egg dough striped bow tie pasta (very cute). You can also purchase Castellana Trece Nere at ethnicgrocer.com (one of my favorite online grocers) for under $8.00 for about lb."
-"Queen's Pasta uses squid ink in their Striped Butternut Squash Agnolotti. It used to be the only thing I'd order but is now off limits (as I am a vegetarian). Gawd, I wish they never told me!
They have an outlet in Etobicoke, where you can pick it up, either frozen or fresh."
-"St. Lawrence Market, south market, upper floor, sw corner. St. Lawrence Ice Cream & Pizza where they make it fresh every day. Don't let the name throw you off. Very nice fresh pastas, sauces, and a decent slice if you're hungry. Expect to line-up on Saturday's. I mean really line up."
-"You can actually get raw squid ink - not set in pasta - for you to cook with. In Venice, many cooks make a sauce with squid ink, and serve it (traditionally) with bigoli (a kind of pasta) and cuttlefish. The ink is very hard to find in Toronto - but is available at the fish store at "foodie corner" (Yonge north of Rosedale)."
-"Not to buy the pasta but another great restaurant serving squid ink pasta is One of a Kind on Queen West http://oneofakindpasta.com/
Inventive pasta dishes and good prices...haven't been in a while but always had a good experience there in the past."
-"I'm a bit late with this but Diana's Cupboard on Cumberland is now selling squid ink so you can make your own at home!"
-"Palma Pasta in Mississauga makes it sometimes and may do it to order. Call them at 905-896-9000."
1 comments
squid ink pasta with pesto sauce is yummy. I think I made some last year. They don't taste that different than regular pasta but looks amazing visually.
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