Adding jet black squid ink to a fresh pasta dough gives it a striking, shimmering appearance with a slight hint of the sea in its flavour. Most traditionally used in Italian cooking, squid ink (or sometimes cuttlefish ink) can also be used to colour and flavour risotto. The dramatic colour of the pasta is a sure-fire way to make a dish one to remember.
1
Pile the flour and salt onto a large, clean work surface
2
Mix the eggs, egg yolks and squid ink together
3
Gradually incorporate the egg mixture into the flour to create a dough, using your hand to bring it together
4
Knead for 5–10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic then form into a ball. Wrap tightly in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for at least an hour
5
Once the dough has rested, remove from the fridge and leave to come to room temperature for 30 minutes
6
Unwrap the dough and use a rolling pin to flatten it to the same thickness of the widest setting on your pasta machine, then begin to feed it into the slot
7
Fold the dough in half and pass it through the machine a few more times until it becomes smooth
8
Once you have a smooth dough, gradually decrease the setting on the pasta machine, passing the dough through twice on each setting (without folding) until you achieve the desired thickness
9
Cut the dough into your preferred shape (tagliatelle, pappardelle, etc).
Uses
Rosanna Marziale serves her squid ink pasta with mussels, calamari and a creamy mozzarella purée, while Luke Holder makes an impressive Squid ink garganelle to serve with some delicious Alaskan king crab.
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