Fish, Italy
Calamari and potatoes alla amalfitana
Calamari and potatoes alla amalfitana is an Italian simmered dish for 4 people, ready in 55 minutes, rated easy, for about €3.70 per serving. The key to success is keeping the calamari at a gentle simmer so they stay tender instead of turning chewy.
Tonight we're sailing along the Amalfi coast with tender calamari simmered in tomato, garlic, and potatoes.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost per person
- €3.70
- Calories per person
- 530 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Summer, Fall
This dish smells like the Amalfi coast, with tomato slowly reducing, garlic perfuming the oil, and white wine evaporating into the sauce. The calamari turn tender after half an hour of simmering, while the potatoes soak up that tomato broth as they cook alongside. It's a late summer or early fall dish, simple but full of character.
Mon Chou likes this kind of recipe where one pot does the job and time does the work for you. It's perfect for an unhurried Sunday, or a weeknight when you want something simmering while you handle other things. Keep crusty bread on hand for dipping, that's half the fun.
The ingredients
Fish counter
- Cleaned calamari 800 g
Fruits and vegetables
- Waxy potatoes 700 g
- Garlic 3 cloves
- Flat leaf parsley 5 sprigs
Pantry
- Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
- Dry white wine 10 cl
- Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
- Dried chilioften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Bakery
- Country bread 1
Allergens Mollusks, Gluten
The step by step recipe
-
Cut the calamari into rings and slice the tentacles in half, then pat them dry with paper towels.
Dry calamari sear better and won't flood the pan.
-
Heat the oil with the crushed garlic and chili, then add the calamari and sear them quickly over high heat. 5 min
Cook them fast over high heat or for a long time, anything in between toughens them.
-
Deglaze with the wine, add the tomatoes, half the parsley, salt, and a glass of water, then let it simmer covered. 25 min
Taste a ring near the end, it should cut easily with a fork.
-
Peel the potatoes, cut them into cubes, and add them to the sauce with a bit of hot water, then cook a bit longer. 20 min
2 cm cubes finish cooking just as the calamari become fully tender.
-
Add pepper, scatter the remaining parsley, and serve with bread for dipping.
A drizzle of raw olive oil on each plate brings out the sauce's flavor.
Our tips to get it right
- Pick medium sized calamari, the larger ones need extra simmering time to become tender.
- Cut the potatoes into even 2 cm cubes so they cook at the same pace, neither too firm nor falling apart.
- If the sauce reduces too fast before the dish is done, add a bit of hot water rather than cold to keep the simmer steady.
The variations
- Swap the calamari for cuttlefish, they need a slightly longer simmer but stay just as tender.
- For a shellfish free version, use chunks of cod added only during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- To save time, buy calamari already cut into rings at the fish counter, it shaves off ten minutes of prep.
What to serve it with
- Grilled crusty bread for dipping
- Lemony green salad to start
- A glass of the same dry white wine
Storage
Keep the dish in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days, calamari lose their texture quickly after that. You can freeze it without the potatoes, which don't hold up well in the freezer. Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Questions about this dish
Can you make the tomato sauce ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the tomato base with garlic and chili the day before. Add the calamari and potatoes only when you're ready to simmer, so they keep their texture.
How do you know when the calamari are perfectly cooked?
A well cooked calamari ring cuts easily with a fork. If it resists and feels rubbery, it needs more time at a gentle simmer.
Can you replace the white wine with something else?
You can use fish stock or water with a splash of lemon juice instead. The wine adds a light acidity that balances the tomato, so add a bit more lemon to make up for it.
Do you need to clean the calamari yourself?
No, ask your fishmonger to clean them, or buy them already cleaned as in this recipe. That skips a tedious step and saves you time in the kitchen.
How long does it take to make a pot of calamari and potatoes alla amalfitana?
Count 55 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.
How many calories are in a pot of calamari and potatoes alla amalfitana?
About 530 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.
How much does a pot of calamari and potatoes alla amalfitana cost?
About €3.70 per serving, or €14.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains mollusks, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
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