Black Cuttlefish Ink Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia

Clean the cuttlefish, separating body and tentacles. Rinse, pat dry, and cut into thin strips or rings.

Peel and finely chop the garlic. Remove the seeds from the chili and slice it thinly.

Roughly chop the parsley and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

Add the spaghetti to the boiling salted water and cook al dente according to the package. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy cooking water.

Heat olive oil and butter in a pan, add the garlic and chili, and briefly saute until aromatic, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Add the cuttlefish, increase the heat and saute for 2-3 minutes until the surface firms up.

Pour in the white wine, scrape up any browned bits from the pan and let it simmer for 1 minute to evaporate the alcohol and slightly reduce the sauce.

Stir in the cuttlefish ink and add 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Mix into a glossy dark emulsion and season with freshly ground pepper.

Transfer the drained spaghetti directly into the pan and toss in the sauce for 1-2 minutes, adding a little reserved pasta water as needed to achieve a silky texture.

Stir in the chopped parsley, remove the pan from the heat, and adjust the sauce consistency with a splash of reserved pasta water if needed.

Twirl the spaghetti into nests, divide among plates and spoon over any remaining sauce from the pan.

Serve immediately, and optionally garnish with a few chili slices and a sprinkle of fresh parsley to contrast the dark, Halloween-ready color.