Fried Calamari

Fried calamari is a classic of Italian cuisine, perfect as an appetizer or main course. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh calamari
• All-purpose flour as needed
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Fine salt as needed
• (Optional) Lemon wedges for serving
• (Optional) Freshly ground black pepper for serving

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the calamari, removing the innards, the quill inside the body, and the outer skin. Detach the head and tentacles from the body and remove the central beak. Rinse the calamari under running water to remove any residues.
2. Cut the calamari bodies into rings about half a centimeter thick and leave the tentacles whole or divide them depending on their size.
3. Place enough flour on a shallow plate and coat the calamari rings and tentacles with flour. This step is essential for achieving a crispy, golden fry.
4. Heat plenty of vegetable oil in a deep pan or fryer to 180 °C. It is important that the oil is at the right temperature before you start frying.
5. Add the floured calamari to the hot oil, without overlapping them to prevent the oil temperature from dropping and the pieces from sticking together.
6. Fry for about 1-2 minutes or until the calamari are golden and crispy. Do not fry them too long, otherwise they will become tough.
7. Drain the calamari on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil and sprinkle with salt immediately.
8. Serve hot, accompanied by lemon wedges and, if desired, a dusting of black pepper.

Trivia

Fried calamari is popular in many regional variations across Italy. In some areas, for example, it is common to add pieces of fish or vegetables to the batter to create a mixed seafood or fish fry. In others, it is served with a squeeze of freshly squeezed lemon juice to enhance its flavor.

The crispiness and lightness of the fry depend greatly on the oil temperature and cooking time, so these two factors should be monitored carefully during preparation.