Italian · Free recipe
Crispy Fried Calamari
Squid rings and tentacles soak in buttermilk to stay tender, then get tossed in seasoned flour and cornmeal and fried fast until pale gold. Pile them high with lemon wedges and warm marinara, and eat them within minutes while they still crackle.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Method
-
Soak the squid in the buttermilk in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
-
Heat the oil in a deep heavy pot to 375F, and set a wire rack over a sheet pan nearby.
-
Whisk the flour, cornmeal, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne together in a wide bowl.
-
Lift a handful of squid from the buttermilk, let the excess drip off, and toss it in the flour mixture until evenly coated, shaking off the loose flour in a sieve.
-
Fry in small batches for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring once, until the coating turns light golden and crisp; any longer and the squid tightens and becomes chewy.
-
Transfer to the rack, sprinkle with salt immediately, and let the oil return to 375F before the next batch; serve hot with lemon wedges and marinara.
Zest note from the test kitchen
Squid is tender cooked either very quickly or very slowly, with a rubbery zone in between; a two-minute fry keeps it firmly in the tender camp.
