Fried Calamari

Calamari rings with a thin, crackling crust and pearly flesh that remains supple. The lemon's acidity cuts through the crispiness of the fry.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 10 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 460
• Protein: 35 g
• Carbs: 51 g
• Fat: 11 g

Ingredients

• 800 g Loligo vulgaris ( cut into 1cm rings )
• 150 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 100 g Durum wheat semolina ( fine )
• 500 ml Peanut oil ( for frying )
• 2 piece Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. ( in wedges )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground

Instructions

1. Drying the calamari

   Thoroughly pat the calamari rings dry with paper towels. They must be perfectly dry so the flour adheres without forming doughy clumps.

2. Coating

   Mix the flour and semolina in a large bowl. Toss the calamari in this mixture, then shake them in a colander to remove any excess flour.

3. Frying

   Heat the oil to 180°C. Fry the calamari in small batches to avoid dropping the temperature. When the crust is rigid and light golden, remove immediately.

4. Finishing

   Place on paper towels. Season with grey sea salt while piping hot so the salt sticks to the crust.

Chef's tips

• Never overcrowd the frying bath, otherwise the temperature drops and the calamari becomes greasy and rubbery.
• Adding durum wheat semolina to the flour gives that crunchy grain typical of the best Italian fried dishes.

Storage

Consume immediately. Fried food loses its crispness as it cools.