Lemon-Chile Calamari Pasta

They don’t tell you this, but with one pound of squid in your refrigerator, you are 20 minutes from a summery, seaside Italian vacation—regardless of your actual location or the time of year. This weeknight-friendly dish comes together in a flash with the help of kitchen staples that never go out of season, like lemon, garlic, Calabrian chile paste, and butter. If you don’t usually cook with squid at home, it’s a great gateway recipe; the results are bright and sunny without being overly fishy, and because the calamari pieces are poached right in the sauce, they avoid that overcooked rubbery chew.

Cleaned squid is easy to find at most grocery store fish counters, and it’s often less expensive than shrimp pound for pound. Fresh squid is preferred for this recipe; frozen bags often include huge rings meant for battering and frying, which are both awkward to eat with pasta and take longer to cook.