Cultural background

Cuttlefish with polenta are one of the most typical dishes of the Venetian tradition and very easy to prepare and brings together seafood typical from the Mediterranean and the polenta from the peasant tradition. The pot for the polenta is called “paiolo” and originally it is made of copper or cast iron. Today you can use a nonstick pot such as those made with Teflon.

The recipe we suggest is one of the different variations, the simplest one, other recipes include peas as part of the typical dish. The traditional recipe in Venice instead of the tomato sauce foresees that the cuttlefish is cooked in its own ink. Cuttlefish ink however is not very easy to find outside of Venice, therefore we propose the tomato version.

This version is the recipe that Sandra cooks every now and then. Be careful that if you use frozen cuttlefish, it often comes from the Atlantic. 

Culinary information

Ingredients for 4 people

  • cuttlefish 800 g
  • onion 100 g
  • tomato paste 20 g
  • white wine 200 ml
  • parsley to taste
  • extravirgin olive oil to taste
  • 2 leaves of laurel

For polenta

  • corn flour 500 g
  • butter 50 g
  • salt 40 g
  • 2,5 lt water

Preparation

For the polenta:

  1. Place the butter in boiling water.
  2. Add salt and corn flour.
  3. We mix well with a whisk so that no lumps are formed. Then continue to mix with a spoon.
  4. Cook for 40 minutes making sure that you stir continually.

For the cuttlefish

  1. Finely chop the onion.
  2. Wash the cuttlefish and divide the tentacles from the body.
  3. Cut them into strips.
  4. Place the onion in a pot and add a little extra-virgin olive oil.
  5. Add a few bay leaves.
  6. Let the onion stew (it should not take color).
  7. Add the cuttlefish strips and mix well.
  8. Add the white wine. Mix and let the wine evaporate.
  9. Add the tomato paste and mix.
  10. Let’s cook 40 minutes. Add salt if needed.
  11. Place the polenta in the plate with the cuttlefish and serve hot.

Other aspects

  • Wash your hands carefully.   
  • Be careful  with  hot  pans, expecially with the one with polenta because it grows a lot in volume.   
  • Choose only fresh fish or, if frozen, check date of expiring 
  • Be sure to serve it hot