🇮🇹 Italian · Pasta
🦑 Tagliolini al Nero di Seppia
Tagliolini al Nero di Seppia
Striking squid-ink-black noodles from the Veneto coast, tossed simply with tender squid, garlic, and white wine for a dramatic, briny dish that tastes as bold as it looks.
The squid ink worked directly into the pasta dough gives tagliolini al nero di seppia its dramatic jet-black color and a deep, briny flavor that pairs naturally with the squid it's traditionally served alongside, a specialty of Venice and the surrounding lagoon towns.
Ingredients
Equipment: Mixing bowl, Pasta machine, Large pot, Sauté pan
- 400 g (3 cups) 00 flour
- 4 eggs
- 2 sachets (about 8g/0.3oz) squid ink
- Pinch of salt
- 600 g (1.3 lb) fresh squid, cleaned and sliced into rings
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 dried chili, crumbled
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) dry white wine
- 200 g (7 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt, to taste
Method
- Combine the flour, eggs, squid ink, and salt into a smooth dough, kneading for 10 minutes. Wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough thin with a pasta machine and cut into narrow tagliolini strands.
- Warm the olive oil in a wide pan and sauté the garlic and chili until fragrant.
- Add the squid rings and sear over high heat for 1–2 minutes only, then remove and set aside — squid toughens quickly with overcooking.
- Add the wine to the same pan and let it reduce slightly, then add the cherry tomatoes and cook until just softened.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the tagliolini for 2–3 minutes until tender.
- Return the squid to the pan, drain the pasta, and toss everything together over heat for a minute with a splash of pasta water.
- Finish with parsley and serve immediately.
Chef Tips
- Squid cooks in minutes — sear it briefly and pull it out, then only return it to the pan right at the end to avoid a rubbery texture.
- Squid ink dough is stickier than plain egg dough — dust generously with flour while rolling and cutting.
- A short, hot sear on the squid is far better than a long, gentle cook, which toughens it.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcooking the squid at any stage, which turns it tough and rubbery almost immediately.
- Adding cheese, which is never paired with seafood pasta in Italian tradition.
- Rolling the ink-black dough too thick, losing the delicate texture tagliolini is meant to have.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Squid is a lean source of protein and provides B12 and selenium.
- A relatively light dish given its seafood base and minimal use of dairy.
Cultural Note
Squid ink pasta is a signature of Venice's lagoon cuisine, where cuttlefish and squid have been staples of the local diet for centuries, giving rise to several dishes built around the ink itself.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Fresh, uncooked squid-ink pasta can be dried for a day or frozen for up to 1 month.
Reheating: Not recommended; the squid toughens significantly on reheating.
Serve with: A crisp, dry white wine such as Soave