Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Seppie in Umido con Piselli (Cuttlefish with Peas)
A comforting seafood stew. Tender cuttlefish braised in a light tomato sauce, paired with the sweetness of green peas.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- fresh cuttlefish or calamari (cleaned and sliced)
- frozen or fresh green peas
- onion and garlic (finely chopped)
- dry white wine
- tomato passata
- extra virgin olive oil
- fresh parsley
- salt and pepper
Equipment
- Medium pot or Dutch oven
Instructions
- 1
Sauté Aromatics
Heat olive oil in a pot. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic until soft and translucent.
- 2
Add Seafood
Add the sliced cuttlefish (or calamari) to the pot. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until opaque.
- 3
Deglaze
Pour in the white wine and let it reduce until the alcohol smell dissipates.
- 4
Add Tomatoes
Stir in the tomato passata. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- 5
Slow Braise
Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 30-40 minutes. Cuttlefish is rubbery if cooked quickly, but becomes meltingly tender when slow-cooked.
- 6
Add Peas
When the cuttlefish is tender, stir in the green peas. Simmer for another 10 minutes (less if using frozen peas, which cook quickly).
- 7
Season
Taste and season with salt, plenty of black pepper, and fresh parsley.
- 8
Serve
Serve hot, traditionally accompanied by slices of grilled polenta or thick crusty bread to mop up the sweet and savory sauce.
Cooking Tips
- The rule for cooking cephalopods (squid, cuttlefish, octopus): cook them for either 2 minutes on high heat, or 45+ minutes on low heat. Anything in between is rubber.
- The sweetness of the peas perfectly complements the briny seafood and acidic tomatoes.
Variations
- Polpo in Umido: Use chunks of octopus instead of cuttlefish (will require longer braising time).
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A classic example of Italian 'mare e monti' (sea and mountains/earth) flavor pairing.
Nutrition Estimate
310 calories · 32g protein · 22g carbs · 8g fat · 6g fiber per serving
