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Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Show: Everyday Italian

Episode: Italian Restaurant Classics

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Fried Calamari (04:21)

Total:: 30 min
Prep:: 10 min
Cook:: 20 min

Yield:: 6 servings

Level:: Intermediate

Ingredients

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1 pound clean squid with tentacles, bodies cut into 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick rings
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons dried parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, cut into wedges
1 cup simple tomato sauce, recipe follows or jarred marinara sauce, warmed

Simple Tomato Sauce:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

Directions

Watch how to make this recipe.

Pour enough oil into a heavy large saucepan to reach the depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Mix the flour, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Working in small batches, toss the squid into the flour mixture to coat. Carefully add the squid to the oil and fry until crisp and very pale golden, about 1 minute per batch. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.

Place the fried calamari and lemon wedges on a clean plate. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with the marinara sauce.

Simple Tomato Sauce:

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.

Add 1/2 the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.

If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

Pairs well with sparkling wine

My Private Notes

Name: Fried Calamari
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT0H10M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H20M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT0H30M0.000S
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: Vegetable oil, for deep-frying; 1 pound clean squid with tentacles, bodies cut into 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick rings; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons dried parsley; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 lemons, cut into wedges; 1 cup simple tomato sauce, recipe follows or jarred marinara sauce, warmed; 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 small onion, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 1 stalk celery, chopped; 1 carrot, chopped; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes; 2 dried bay leaves; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional