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Venetian-Style Pasta with Cuttlefish Ink — traditional dish from Venice, Italy
Main course Fish & Seafood

Food Flavour DNA

Nutritional Values

🔥530kcal
💪30gProtein
🌾50gCarbs
🥑20gFat
🌿3gFibre
⚖️400 gServing

* Per serving · 400 g. May vary.

Allergens

🦐 Shellfish 🌾 Gluten

Venetian-Style Pasta with Cuttlefish Ink

How to order / say it
Say it Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia — [spah-GEH-tee ahl NEH-ro dee SEHP-pyah]
Order I'd like the Spaghetti al nero di seppia, please.
Locally Vorrei gli spaghetti al nero di seppia, per favore.
Say locally

Spaghetti colored with cuttlefish ink, served with seafood.

Why try it?

A symbol of Venetian maritime identity, this dish is a testament to the city's profound love of seafood and its culinary creativity in using all parts of the catch.

How it tastes

The ink adds subtle brininess and complexity; smooth, rich sauce coats the spaghetti, with delicate seafood aromas.

Origin & History — first documented: 1600

A familiar sight in Venetian households since the 1600s, the recipe evolved as local fishermen maximized resources, using cuttlefish ink, once discarded, enhancing traditional pasta dishes.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 🌾 200 g spaghetti
  • 🐟 250 g cuttlefish
  • 🦐 20 g cuttlefish ink
  • 🧄 10 g garlic
  • 🫒 50 ml olive oil
  • 🌿 10 g parsley

Method

  1. 1 Cook spaghetti until al dente.
  2. 2 Sauté garlic in olive oil, add cuttlefish and its ink.
  3. 3 Toss the spaghetti with the sauce.
  4. 4 Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

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