It’s also simple to prepare no matter the season, and can be very healthy when prepared on the grill.
Today I’m showing you how to make Stuffed Kalamari, which is grilled Kalamari stuffed with spicy feta dip and a hard Greek cheese. It’s a great twist on regular Kalamari and makes for a very flavorful dinner! The dish starts with cleaned Kalamari from the fishmonger. Then, I prepare the Spicy Feta Dip recipe that I filmed in an earlier episode (link). This feta dip is always delicious on its own, but it tastes truly incredible in the grilled squid. In fact, if you want to make a double batch you can easily save half to serve later for dinner or to friends.
Once the feta dip is made the longest part of the recipe is over. At this point I simply fold in the cheese and use a piping bag to stuff the Kalamari. Don’t worry, squid is very elastic and you’ll have no trouble dividing the feta dip equally among the Kalamari - do whatever you can to squeeze it all in! Before you grill it is a great time to get the pan tomato sauce cooking. It’s simple a fresh tomato sauce to serve with the Kalamari and you want to give it enough time to boil down and form a true sauce.
While the pan sauce is simmering, cook the squid by bringing the grill to high heat and cooking it for a few minutes on each side, making sure each side is cooked completely before you rotate it. Continue this process until it is completely cooked, then serve in a dish with the pan sauce on the bottom. Everyone loves this dinner when I make it because it’s really unique and fun. I hope you and your family enjoy it too!
STUFFED KALAMARI
This delicious dish is the combination of two classic Greek recipes – kalamari and spicy feta dip. It’s a great dish to serve for dinner and always wows a crowd.
- 1 batch Tyrokafteri (see recipe below)
- ½ half a block of kefalogrevia, or any sharp Greek cheese, 2429 cubed
- 6 whole kalamari, cleaned
- Refrigerate
- Stuff
- Close with toothpicks
Tomato White Wine Sauce
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1/ 2 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 cups of diced tomatoes
- Make one batch of Tyrokafteri and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the cubed Greek sharp cheese.
- Transfer everything to a container with a lid. Refrigerate it for at least one hour to firm it up.
- Add the dip to a piping bag if you have one. Divide the mixture evenly between the kalamari, stuffing them until full. Place the stuffed kalamari in a dish and set aside while you make the sauce.
- To make the tomato white wine sauce, first add the olive oil to a large, rimmed sauté pan and place on a burner over medium-high heat.
- Add the shallots, wine, salt, pepper, and tomatoes. Sauté that for about 15 to 20 minutes, until it’s thickened into a slightly thick tomato sauce. Turn off the heat and let it sit while you grill the kalamari. The kalamari will shrink while they grill.
- Bring the grill to high heat and grill the kalamari on all sides until it is cooked through and has grill marks, about 5 minutes per side.
- Rewarm the tomato sauce and assemble the dish by spooning the tomato sauce into a serving dish and spreading it evenly on the bottom. Lay the grilled kalamari on top of the sauce and serve!
TYROKAFTERI
SPICY FETA DIP
This delicious dip is perfect for serving at home or taking to a party. It is incredibly simple to make and you can adjust the heat depending on your preference. I recommend using the highest quality feta you can find because the creamy texture will really make a difference.
Timing: 5 minutes
Nikki's Modern Mediterranean
Watch Nikki make it
Nikki's Stuffed Calamari Over White Wine Tomato Sauce | Stuffed Squid Recipe
Press play and cook along — the full recipe is just below.
The recipe
STUFFED KALAMARI
Ingredients
Method
Add the feta into to food processor. Process for about 15-20 seconds, or until the feta is crumbled into very small pieces.
Add the olive oil, thyme, red pepper, cayenne, and hot sauce. Puree for 2-3 minutes, or until fully blended.
Remove the finished dip from food processor and top with an additional pinch of cayenne.
Serve with fresh grilled pita triangles.
