'SQUID IN ITS INK' (CALAMARES EN SU TINTA)

New year special: one of our favourite dishes. Though children may initially dislike the colour of this dish, they just need to taste one mouthful and it will easily become one of their favourite foods. Try it with plain rice. Or with lots of bread. But whatever you do, do not show to the kids the inside of the squid, nor the ink, or they might be put off from squid for ever.

You need:
- 500 gr squid (clean and cut into mouth-bite pieces)
- the ink of each squid (ask the fishmonger to give you the ink- they come inside a kind of white bag, like a little sausage). If you cannot get the natural ink, some fishmongers sell small plastic sachets of artificial ink which tastes very good too (and makes the dish even darker)
- tomato sauce ( see our recipe - 8 table spoonfuls)
- olive oil
- a clove of garlic
- parsley
- half a glass of white wine
- a tiny bit of hot water

Put a couple of olive oil spoonfuls in a pan. Add the calamari and let them fry (over high heat) for 4-5 minutes. They will release some water - wait until all the water evaporates. Add the tomato sauce. Then mash the garlic clove with the parsley (with the pester and mortar), add the wine and pour it all over the squid.
Now, put the ink bags into a small colander, pour a bit of hot water on them and mash with the back of a spoon so that the ink falls on the squid.
Let it all simmer for 15 minutes over low heat.
This dish keeps well for a couple of days in the fridge ( and it is probably better the day after you prepare it)
Do not add salt to the squid as they are naturally salty.