Amalfi-Style Stuffed Calamari
Amalfi-style stuffed calamari is a beautiful Southern Italian seafood dish filled with potatoes, courgettes, olives, capers, Parmigiano and lemon zest. The calamari are gently cooked with cherry tomatoes and white wine, creating a rich Mediterranean sauce perfect for serving with bread.
Stuffed Calamari Ingredients
- 4 calamari, around 150 g each
- 1 medium courgette
- 1 potato
- 40 g pitted black olives
- 20 g salted capers, rinsed
- 2 garlic cloves
- 150 g white wine
- 30 g Parmigiano Reggiano
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 180 g cherry tomatoes
- Fresh parsley, to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Method
- Boil the potato until tender, then peel and mash it.
- Clean the calamari, keeping the bodies whole and finely chopping the tentacles.
- Heat olive oil with garlic in a pan, then add the chopped tentacles.
- Cook until lightly browned, then add a splash of white wine and let it evaporate.
- Transfer the tentacles to a bowl with the mashed potato.
- Dice the courgette and chop the olives.
- Add courgette, olives, rinsed capers, Parmigiano, parsley, lemon zest, salt and black pepper to the bowl.
- Mix well to create a soft filling.
- Fill the calamari bodies, leaving a little space at the top, then close with cocktail sticks.
- Sear the stuffed calamari in the pan.
- Add the remaining white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes, season with salt, pepper and parsley.
- Cover and cook over medium heat for about 25 minutes, turning gently a couple of times.
- Serve warm with the tomato cooking sauce.
Tips and Variations
- Do not overfill the calamari
The filling expands slightly during cooking, so leave some space at the top. - Close them properly
Use cocktail sticks to seal the opening and keep the filling inside. - Turn them gently
Calamari can tear easily once filled, so use tongs carefully. - Use lemon zest, not lemon juice
The zest gives freshness without making the filling too sharp. - Save the sauce
The tomato and white wine cooking sauce is perfect with crusty bread or even tossed with spaghetti.
History & Origins of Amalfi coast dishes
This recipe is inspired by the flavours of the Amalfi Coast, where seafood, citrus, olive oil and fresh Mediterranean ingredients are central to everyday cooking. There are different interpretations of its origin: some link the dish directly to Amalfi and the surrounding coastal towns, while others see the name as a reference to the bright, coastal flavours used in the filling.
The combination of calamari, lemon zest, capers, olives and tomatoes reflects the character of Campanian cooking: simple, colourful and full of sea-side flavour. It is a dish that feels elegant but remains rooted in home cooking.
This dish showcases Campania’s love for simplicity elevated by technique.
