Appetizers & Snackscoleycooks5.0
Fried Calamari (Calamari Fritti)
Making your own fried calamari at home is easier than you think! This classic Italian recipe for calamari fritti will transport you straight to the shores of the Mediterranean. With just a few simple ingredients and some basic kitchen skills, you can recreate this popular restaurant dish in the comfort of your own kitchen.
👥 6 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 30 min⏳ Prep: 20 min🔥 Cook: 10 min👤 Nicole Gaffney📖 coleycooks
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- bowl
- whisk
- pan
- pot
- baking sheet
- strainer
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Slice the tubes of squid into rings about ½ inch wide. Don’t slice them too thin or they will overcook more easily.
fresh squid (tubes and tentacles, cleaned)1 lb
2
Add the buttermilk, salt and drained cherry peppers to a bowl along with the calamari rings and tentacles. Mix to combine, then cover and refrigerate for at least ⏱️ 30 minutes, or up to ⏱️ 8 hours.
buttermilk1 cupsalt1 teaspooncherry peppers (or banana peppers, jarred, sliced & drained (optional))1 cup
3
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking powder and black pepper.
baking powder1 tablespoon
4
Heat 1 inch of oil in a large pot or pan with high sides until it reaches approximately 375℉. Prepare a baking sheet with a wire rack or several layers of paper towels on top.
5
Use a strainer or a clean hand to scoop up some squid from the buttermilk mixture, and let the liquid drain off. It’s important to let as much liquid drain off as you can here.
fresh squid (tubes and tentacles, cleaned)1 lbbuttermilk1 cup
6
Transfer the squid to the flour mixture and use a fork to toss to coat. Make sure the flour gets into every nook and cranny. Then use a clean, dry strainer to lift the squid out of the flour and shake off the excess.
fresh squid (tubes and tentacles, cleaned)1 lb
7
Working in batches, carefully drop the breaded calamari pieces into the hot oil, then use a spider or clean, dry wire strainer to move the pieces around in the oil to make sure they are separated and not sticking together.
8
Fry for ⏱️ 2-3 minutes or until golden, moving around every so often to ensure they cook evenly.
9
Transfer to paper towels or wire rack to drain, then repeat with the remaining squid until it’s all used up.
fresh squid (tubes and tentacles, cleaned)1 lb
10
Serve immediately, hot out of the fryer with plenty of lemon wedges, marinara sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.
Nutrition Facts
calories
244 kcal
fat Content
3 g
serving Size
1 serving
fiber Content
2 g
sugar Content
2 g
sodium Content
1162 mg
protein Content
16 g
cholesterol Content
181 mg
carbohydrate Content
36 g
saturated Fat Content
1 g
unsaturated Fat Content
1.4 g
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