Stanley Tucci makes Black Ink Risotto with Cuttlefish on latest show Searching for Italy: Recipe for Venetian classic dish revealed 

Stanley Tucci's highly acclaimed culinary travelogue series Searching for Italy returned for its highly anticipated second season on May 1. Boasting a boisterous Italian heritage, coupled with an unquenchable passion for food, Stanley Tucci jet sets across the European nation to unearth Italy's most delectable delights.

Season 2's first endeavor took Stanley Tucci to the breathtaking city of Venice and reunited the star with his old friend, Chef Giovanni "Gianni" Scappin.

The duo decided to honor the romantic city with a Venetian classic - Black Ink Risotto with Cuttlefish (Risotto al Nero di Seppia in Italian).

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How to make Stanley Tucci's Black Ink Risotto with Cuttlefish

Here are all the ingredients you need to recreate Stanley Tucci and Gianni Scapin's Black Ink Risotto with Cuttlefish:

1. Extra-virgin olive oil
2. 1⁄2 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup | 26 grams; alternatively, use shallots)
3. 1 clove garlic, sliced, or left whole and then removed when cooking the cuttlefish
4. 10.6 ounces | 300 grams cuttlefish, ink sacs gently removed and meat cut into 1-inch wide strips and/or squares
5. 1 to 2 teaspoons | 5 to 10 milliliters cuttlefish ink (about 1 to 2 sacks, depending on size)
6. 125 milliliters | 1/2 cup dry white wine
7. 1 cup | 200 grams peeled tomatoes, chopped, or passata di pomodoro (optional)
8. Salt and freshly ground black pepper
9. 1/2 stick unsalted butter; plus more for serving (optional)
10. 1 1/2 cups | 300 grams Carnaroli rice or Vialone Nano rice
11. 4 1/4 cups | 1 liter fish stock, hot and not very strong
12. 1 handful flat-leaf parsley, fresh, chopped
13. 7 1/2 grams | 4 teaspoons Parmesan, grated (optional)

To cook the cuttlefish, heat some olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add half of the chopped onion (about 1/4 cup or 13 grams) and gently sauté it for five to seven minutes until it's soft and slightly golden. Add the garlic, cuttlefish, and the cuttlefish ink, and stir for a minute.

Stanley Tucci said of the cuttlefish ink:

"The precious ink is used to stain the risotto black, making the dish as theatrical as Venice itself."

Then, pour in the wine. If you choose to use tomatoes in the recipe, add the peeled or pureed tomatoes once the wine is added. After lightly seasoning the pan's components with salt and pepper, lower the heat and allow it to simmer gently and cover, for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the cuttlefish is soft.

While the mixture is simmering, keep stirring it occasionally and check the cuttlefish for tenderness. Maintain a "saucy" consistency at all times, adding water to the pan as required.

The cooking time for the fish varies depending on the size and thickness of the strips used in the recipe. Extremely tender fish meat can be cooked directly into the rice.

For the rice base, use a separate 2-quart or 3-quart stock pan with straight sides and sauté the remaining 1/4 cup (13 grams) chopped onion in butter. Then, add the rice and toast the grains, coating them in the onion and butter with a wooden spoon until the rice is hot. The rice should only be toasted for about 30 seconds and should not change in color.

Add one cup of the hot stock to the rice and bring to a simmer over low heat. Continue to to add stock by the cup, stirring constantly, as and when the liquid reduces. If the cuttlefish was prepared separately earlier, it needs to be added to the rice around seven minutes into the cooking time.

Cook for seven to eight minutes more, adding small amounts of stock as required, till the rice is al dente and the risotto is still wet but not runny. Once the rice is added, the total cooking time should be 14 to 15 minutes. If the flavor of the stock is overpowering, dilute it with some water. Overcooking the rice will result in it becoming mushy.

Take the pan off the heat. Add butter, parsley, and Parmesan, and toss the rice vigorously, as Stanley Tucci and Gianni Scapin demonstrate in the show, to achieve creaminess and a wavy texture that isn't "splashy." This risotto style is popularly known as the "all'onda."

Serve the final dish on a flat plate (instead of a bowl) and garnish with freshly ground black pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

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