Seppie in Umido — Venetian Braised Cuttlefish in Tomato and Wine

If using whole, uncleaned cuttlefish: separate the head from the mantle, remove the cuttlebone and inner organs, and rinse under cold water. Carefully extract the ink sac and pierce it over a small cup to collect the ink. Peel off the outer skin. Cut the mantle into 4–5 cm pieces and leave the tentacles whole. Pre-cleaned frozen cuttlefish can go straight from thaw — just pat dry.

Separate the parsley leaves from the stems. Finely chop the stems and roughly chop the leaves; keep them apart.

Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven over medium-low. Add the onion, garlic, and chopped parsley stems. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is completely soft and translucent but not coloured.

Add the cuttlefish and raise the heat to medium. Sauté for 3 minutes, turning the pieces once or twice, until the flesh firms slightly and takes on a little colour.

Pour in the white wine. Scrape up any stuck bits from the base of the pan. Let the wine reduce by half — about 3 minutes.

Add the passata and broth. If using cuttlefish ink, stir it in now — the sauce will turn black and deeply savoury. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Reduce the heat to low. Braise uncovered, with just one or two lazy bubbles breaking the surface, for 45–55 minutes for small seppioline, or up to 70 minutes for larger seppie. Start testing at 40 minutes: press a piece with a knife tip — it should yield without resistance.

While the cuttlefish finishes, cook the polenta according to the packet. For soft polenta use a 4:1 water-to-polenta ratio; season with salt and stir frequently over medium heat until smooth and thick, about 5 minutes for quick-cook.

Taste the braise and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the reserved chopped parsley leaves.

Spoon soft polenta into wide bowls, ladle the cuttlefish and sauce over the top, and finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.