Tender Squid In Tomato Sauce

To Prepare The Squid:

1. Clean the squid. Pull the squid's head and everything that comes with it. Insert your fingers into the squid's body and remove all that's inside. Dip the squid in a bowl with cold water and remove the membrane from its skin. Just grab hold of it and pull it it's easy to come off.
2. Cut the squid. Cut the head between the legs and the eyes. Discard the eyes and teeth keeping only the legs. Cut the body into 2-2,5 cm thick (¾ to 1-inch) thick rings. Cut the bottom in half to get 2 flat triangles.
3. Rinse the squid well and place it in a strainer.

Prepare The Sauce:

1. Heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan with a lid.
2. Add the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat.
3. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute stirring with a wooden spoon.
4. Add the grated tomatoes and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the tomato drains and starts to stick to the bottom.
5. Pour in 3 cups of hot water. Add also the passata, bay leaf, and paprika.
6. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes over medium heat uncovered. Meanwhile, cook the squid.

To Cook The Squid:

1. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan.
2. Pan-fry the squid in two batches. Season lightly with salt and pepper while pan-frying and flip to get a golden color on both sides. Add each batch to the sauce using cooking tongs.
3. Pour a splash of hot water into the pan where you cooked the squid and deglaze it with a wooden spoon. Pour this into the sauce.
4. Simmer covered for 30 to 40 minutes over medium heat. Or until squid feels tender when you prick it with a knife and the sauce is thickened. It may take up to 50 minutes if using a very large squid.
5. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice 2 minutes before removing from the heat.
6. Serve over steamed rice or boiled pasta with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or hot red pepper flakes if you like spicy.