Calamari Fritti | Authentic Italian Fried Calamari Recipe

Fried calamari is a popular dish all over the world, but it's often over-complicated and muddled with unnecessary steps, thick batters and heavy sauces. This simple recipe will show you the easy and traditional Italian way to fry up this seafood delicacy!

Calamari Fritti | Authentic Italian Fried Calamari Recipe

Simplicity is Key

The secret to real “calamari fritti” is simplicity and good ingredients. If you find fresh squid (which you should seek out regardless of method), there is no need to tenderize it before cooking. Avoid frozen squid at all costs, the result will be disastrous.

Furthermore, thick breading, batters and heavy dipping sauces will only serve to mask the delicate taste of the squid. Keep things simple with flour, salt and lemon juice to achieve a delicious, refreshing and healthier version of fried calamari.

A Note on Ingredient Amounts

This recipe is so simple that all you need to worry about is having enough flour to dust all the squid. You can make as much calamari as you want. If serving as an appetizer, you’ll want 4 to 8 ounces of raw squid per person. It should be noted, however, that Italians often eat fried calamari as a main course in which case you’ll want to cook extra. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to eyeball how much you want to make before you get started.

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CALAMARI FRITTI RECIPE

Makes: 4 servings

Cook Time: 30 minutes

For this recipe, you will need:

• 1 pound (450 g) fresh, cleaned squid (they can be pre-cut for fried calamari, or see below for prepping your own from whole squid)

• Salt

• About 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour, or enough to comfortably dust your desired amount of squid

• Extra-virgin olive oil for frying (enough to fill a small saucepan with 3 to 4 inches)

Often squid is sold precut for fried calamari. If that’s the case, skip this step. Otherwise, if you have squid which was sold with whole bodies and tentacles, you can cut them yourself. With a pair of kitchen scissors, slice the bodies into 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide rings. Cut the base of each tentacle piece in half, so each yields two pieces.

Lightly sprinkle the squid with salt and toss to evenly season the pieces.

Fill a saucepan or deep frying pan with 3 to 4 inches of extra-virgin olive oil. Bring up to a high temperature on the stovetop. You can use a thermometer to aim for about 355° F (180° C), or you can use the following method: when the oil has had a few minutes to heat up, test the oil by dropping in a small breadcrumb; when the oil bubbles furiously around a crumb immediately upon contact, the oil is hot enough to fry.

Fill a bowl or plate with the flour. Thoroughly dust each piece of squid in flour and set aside on a clean plate. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pot, drop the squid into the oil. We recommend adding the squid one piece at a time to avoid them sticking together.

Use a slotted metal spoon to remove the calamari once it has achieved a golden, crispy exterior. Place on a paper towel to dry.

Sprinkle generously with salt and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Buon appetito!