Calamari as an Inspiration

The initial idea was to mimic the shape and texture of calamari with rings of torpedo onions. But after cooking, the rings resembled paccheri, a noodle whose shape is modeled after the rings of calamari. So are we mirroring a mimic? It really doesn’t matter; the idea is what inspired the results. The dish is comprised of torpedo onion rings braised in tomato water and olive oil, homogenized together to create a thick and rich cooking liquid. We seasoned the finished dish with basil leaves and shards of Parmigiano Reggiano and more of the tomato emulsion. It made for a vegetarian dish easily able to satisfy any hunger.