GRAGNANO PGI Calamarata Pasta 500g

Gragnano IGP Pasta is rooted in the heart of Campania’s traditional pasta-making heritage, where the quality of Italian durum wheat meets centuries-old craftsmanship. Bronze-die extrusion gives the pasta its distinctive rough, porous surface, ideal for holding sauces and seasonings, while Gragnano’s unique microclimate and slow, low-temperature drying help preserve the characteristics of the semolina and the pasta’s aromatic profile. Water from the springs of the Lattari Mountains completes a production process deeply connected to its territory.

Calamarata is one of the most iconic shapes of Campania’s pasta tradition. Its large rings resemble the rings obtained by slicing squid, creating the characteristic visual harmony that defines the dish. Its generous structure and rough bronze-drawn surface are ideal for holding the sauce and embracing the tender pieces of squid.

SIGNATURE RECIPE · NEAPOLITAN CALAMARATA

A classic expression of Neapolitan cuisine, built around a few carefully balanced ingredients: Calamarata, squid, cherry tomatoes, garlic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and fresh parsley. The squid is sliced into rings similar in size to the pasta, creating the distinctive alternation between pasta and seafood that gives the dish its name. The traditional version is deliberately simple; prawns and other seafood are sometimes added in modern variations, but they are not essential to the classic recipe.

Ingredients for 4 people

320 g Calamarata

600 g cleaned fresh squid

350–400 g cherry tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

½ glass dry white wine

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fresh parsley

Chilli, optional

Salt to taste

Preparation

Clean the squid, removing the skin, innards and cartilage, then cut the bodies into rings similar in size to the Calamarata. Halve the cherry tomatoes and finely chop the parsley.

Heat the Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a large pan with the garlic and, if desired, a little chilli. Add the squid and sauté briefly over high heat. Deglaze with the white wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate completely.

Add the cherry tomatoes, season with salt and cook over medium heat for approximately 10–15 minutes, until the sauce is fragrant but not overly reduced.

Cook the Calamarata in plenty of salted water and drain while still very al dente. Transfer it directly to the pan with the sauce and finish cooking together, adding a little pasta water whenever necessary. This final cooking stage allows the pasta to absorb the flavour of the squid while becoming perfectly coated with the tomato sauce.

Finish with plenty of fresh parsley and a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Serve immediately, creating a visual harmony between the pasta rings and the squid rings.