Spring is the ultimate season for fresh produce. Give to your table a multicoloured look with this super delicious Arlecchino Spaghetti!

Why “Arlecchino”? Arlecchino is one of the most famous characters of the Carnival of Naples who wears a multicoloured suit. We’re going to toss our Black Squid Ink Spaghetti with a fresh dressing full of colourful vegetables, olives and salmon! I’m sure that this recipe will cheer you up, both on sunny and rainy days!

The Black Squid Ink Spaghetti creates a rich flavour and is particularly tasty with fish-based sauces. It is rich in iron and antioxidants and provides a number of potential health benefits. Though it tastes of sea salt and is distinctly maritime, it is not very fishy. Therefore, you can also use it with other ingredients!
I used Pitted Black Olives in Brine. These carefully pitted Italian olives are perfect as appetizers or as ingredients in a huge range of dishes. They are also an antioxidant-rich ingredient making this recipe a very healthy one!

If you are looking for a meat-based pasta recipe, you can substitute the salmon with duck breast. If you are vegetarian, just add feta cheese and soja sprouts… all the versions look and taste amazing!

So what are you waiting for? Turn on the heat and try my:

Arlecchino Black Squid Ink Spaghetti

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 360g of Black Squid Ink Spaghetti
• 100g Zucchini
• 100g Cherry Tomatoes
• 2 Carrots
• 80g Smoked Salmon
• 1 Spring Onion
• 30g Pitted Black Olives in Brine
• Basil, as needed
• Mint, as needed
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil “Il Vero”
• Salt and Pepper, as needed

Procedure

Clean, peel and slice the spring onion, carrots, and zucchini.

Gently fry the spring onion in a pan with a bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Then add the cherry tomatoes (whole), add a coffee cup of water, and turn the heat higher for a few minutes.

Turn to a medium heat again, and crush the tomatoes with a fork.

Add the carrots, zucchini and olives and a cup of water. Adjust with salt and pepper and cook for around 20 minutes on a low heat. If the sauce gets too dry, add a bit of water from time to time.

In the meanwhile, bring a pot full of water to the boil.

When the sauce is ready, turn off the heat and add the salmon, dividing it into small pieces with your hands. It doesn’t need to be cooked, just warm it up with the vegetables. Then, add few chopped leaves of basil and mint.

In a separate pot, cook the black spaghetti and drain it when ready.

Toss the pasta with the sauce directly in the pan, on a high heat for a few minutes.

Serve with a bit of raw Extra Virgin Olive Oil and ground pepper on top.

All done! Enjoy and… Buon Appetito!