Cuttlefish with peas

Cuttlefish with peas

Cuttlefish with peas is one of the great classics of traditional Italian home cooking, especially in the coastal regions of Central and Northern Italy, particularly Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, and Lazio. It is a humble seafood dish — not haute cuisine — created to make the most of simple and readily available ingredients: fresh cuttlefish from local markets and sweet spring peas. Traditionally, it is prepared between late spring and early summer, when cuttlefish are tender and peas are at their seasonal best.

Historically, the dish is linked to the popular cooking of fishermen and port families, where slow braising helped tenderize even large cuttlefish. In many Italian homes, it is served with rustic bread to soak up the sauce or with soft polenta, especially in Northern Italy.

As for written culinary tradition, the great Italian gastronome Pellegrino Artusi does not include the modern version of cuttlefish and peas as a codified recipe in his famous book La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene. However, he does describe several stewed cuttlefish preparations with tomato, showing that the technique and concept of the dish were already present in 19th-century Italian cuisine. The combination with peas became firmly established later through regional traditions. 🍽️Serves: 4 ⏲️Time: 50 minutes 🧺Ingredients:

• 1 kg cleaned cuttlefish

• 500 g peas

• 1 small onion

• 2 garlic cloves

• 250 g tomato passata

• 90 ml dry white wine

• 20 ml extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh chopped parsley (optional)

  
  

🥣Instructions: 1. Prepare the aromatic base

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pan with chopped garlic and finely diced onion. Sauté for 1–2 minutes over medium heat until fragrant and lightly golden. This creates the flavor base of the dish.

2. Clean and sear the cuttlefish

Wash and clean the cuttlefish thoroughly. Use them whole or cut into pieces depending on size. Add them to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so they absorb flavor and release their juices.

3. Deglaze with wine Pour in the dry wine and cook for 7–8 minutes, allowing the alcohol to evaporate completely. 4. Slow cooking with tomato Add the tomato passata, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes. Slow cooking helps tenderize the cuttlefish and concentrate the sauce. 5. Add the peas and season Stir in the peas, season with salt and pepper, and cook for another 7–8 minutes until the peas are tender but still slightly firm. 6. Final rest and fresh finish

Turn off the heat and let the dish rest for 2–3 minutes. Add finely chopped fresh parsley if desired before serving. 💡Tips:

• Do not overcook the peas — they should be tender but slightly firm.

• Let the dish rest for a few minutes before serving so the flavors blend fully.

• Use fresh seasonal peas whenever possible for a sweeter, more natural flavor.