For Marinara Sauce

• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 6 cans (28 oz each) whole, peeled tomatoes (San Marzano recommended)
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• basil leaves, chopped or torn
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced

For Calamari

• 3 lbs whole calamari, tentacles separated
• 3 eggs
• 4 tbsp grated Romano cheese
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

To Serve

• 1 lb spaghettini, cooked according to package directions
• chopped parsley

Make Classic Marinara Sauce (watch the video)

1. Add canola oil to a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onions and sauté onions until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.  Do not discard pan with oil
2. Meanwhile in food processor, blend tomatoes for about 30 seconds or until just smooth
3. Add the pureed tomatoes to the pot with the oil.  Add the cooked onions. Season with salt and pepper
4. Bring to a boil then lower heat and let simmer for approximately 45-60 minutes over medium-low heat, adding a few (whole or chopped) basil leaves after 45 minutes
5. In a separate heavy-bottomed stock pot, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high
6. Add sliced garlic and cook 1-2 minutes
7. Pour marinara into garlic and oil and bring to a light simmer

Prepare Calamari

1. Take 5-6 of the calamari bodies and slice into rings and set aside with the separated tentacles
2. In a small bowl, combine eggs, salt, pepper, cheese and garlic. Beat with a fork until the eggs are broken up. Transfer to a measuring cup with a pour spout
3. Working with one calamari tube (body) at a time, hold upright and check to make sure it is free of holes
4. Pour 1-2 tsp of the egg mixture into each tube. Close the opening of the tube tightly by weaving a toothpick through
5. Hold the tube upright by the toothpick into the simmering sauce until the egg mixture solidifies and the tube begins to puff. At this point, you can drop it into the sauce to cook
6. Repeat with remaining tubes and filling. Once everything is in the sauce, add the rings and tentacles
7. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 35-40 minutes until the calamari is tender. Meanwhile, about 10 minutes from the end of cooking, cook spaghettini according to package directions

To Serve

1. Ladle some of the hot marinara in the bottom of each bowl. Portion the cooked spaghettini atop
2. Ladle more marinara atop, and spoon stuffed calamari, tentacles and rings. Make sure to remove toothpicks before serving!
3. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve immediately