Calamari Fritti

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Show: Food 911Episode: Parent Trap

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (30)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(30)

Cook Time:
3 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
4 to 6 servings

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: 15 min
Cook: 3 min
Total:: 38 min

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Ingredients

1 pound whole squid, cleaned
1 cup milk
1 large egg
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Canola oil, for frying
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons paprika
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges, for serving
Smoked jalapeno aioli, for dipping, recipe follows
Tomato-basil sauce, for dipping, recipe follows

Directions

Rinse the squid under cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the body of the squid into 1/2-inch rings and trim the tentacles as necessary. Combine the milk, egg, and basil leaves in a bowl; mix with a fork until lightly beaten. Put the prepared calamari in the milk mixture and stick it in the refrigerator while getting everything else set up; it fries better if marinated and chilled for about 15 minutes.

Pour about 2 inches of oil in a fryer or large, heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F. Mix the flour and paprika in a pie dish or plate; season with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Toss the calamari in the seasoned flour to coat. Fry for 1 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and salt, to taste. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to paper towels to drain. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and dipping sauces.

Smoked Jalapeno Aioli:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 to 2 canned chipotle chile in adobo

1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Pinch salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend for 1 minute to combine. Set aside to allow the flavors to marry. Serve as a dipping sauce with fried calamari.

Yield: 1 cup

Tomato-Basil Sauce:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 fresh basil leaves, hand-torn

1 (16-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Pinch sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Coat a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of the oil and warm over medium heat. Add the garlic and basil; cook, stirring, until soft. Add the crushed tomatoes and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining olive oil. Serve as a dipping sauce with fried calamari.

Yield: 2 cups

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Calamari Fritti
graciela san antonio, TX 03-06-2009
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Very good calamari fritti
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

We really liked this recipe!! We served the calamari with lemon juice.
recipe Calamari Fritti
BARBRA KRYSTYNA Bondi Junction NSW AUSTRALIA, MI 02-03-2009
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Tweaked Calanari Fritti (Salt and Pepper Squid)
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Tyler makes everything look great This recipe was no exception I did use 1 teaspoon lemon pepper & also 1 teaspoon Szechuan... pepper instead of regular pepper & I also scored the squid prior to cutting into 2" X 3/4" strips done easily using scissors By tweaking Tyler's recipe I ended up with Salt and Pepper Squid Extremely deliciousRead more
recipe Calamari Fritti
Beth Shrewsbury, MA 02-15-2008
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OUTSTANDING!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My intent last night (Valentine's Day) was to have calamari as an appetizer with drinks and then the main course was to be... grilled stuffed veal chops. Well .... these calamari were so fantastic (and I did have a full pound and there were only two of us), so we decided to make a meal out of the calamari! Could not stop eating it. I quickly mixed up a little cole slaw and that was it. The key has to be soaking in the milk mixture first. They came out so crispy and delectable. I used an aioli recipe I already had that is just perfect with these for anyone interested: 1 C of mayo; 1/4 C sour cream; 2 T fresh lemon juice; 1 T fresh parsley; 2 cloves of garlic minced through a press; 2 heaping tsp capers; pinch of salt. Refrigerate for an hour ahead if possible. This is the best method for frying calamari that I have tried. Also, I found 2 minutes at 375 was just about right yielding tender and crispy calamari. OH SO GOOD!Read more
recipe Calamari Fritti
Jeanette Nottingham, PA 12-24-2007
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Easy and excellent!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

The coating is so light! This is the best calamari I have ever eaten and it was incredibly simple to make. Everyone loved... it!Read more
recipe Calamari Fritti
Anonymous 11-13-2007
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Great Taste
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

The recipe was easy to follow & taste great. My husband & kids loved it.
recipe Calamari Fritti
Anonymous 09-02-2007
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Just like in Italy
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Easy to do and comes out fantastic!