Fried Calamari (Kalamarakia Tiganita)

You can make fried calamari that’s just as good or even better than what you’ve had at restaurants. The trick is to use very hot oil, and lots of it. Squid turns rubbery very quickly, so cook it hot and fast. Using a lot of oil keeps the oil from cooling down too much when you put the squid in, so it cooks quickly and you can pull it out before it gets tough.
Squid frying in lots of oil.
Use about 1/2 pound of squid per person for a meal.
Clean and rinse the squid.
Cut the bodies into rings or strips.
Sprinkle the body pieces and tentacles generously with salt and pepper, then use your hands to rub it in a bit.
Dump some flour in a bowl or bag, put in the calamari and toss to coat well with flour.
Pick out the calamari and put it on a plate.
Heat a few inches of oil in a deep skillet, until it’s very hot but not smoking.
Put in a handful of calamari. There should be plenty of room for the pieces to bounce around in the bubbling oil.
Watch out! There’ll be a lot of bubbling and popping and spattering.
Take them out when they’re golden brown. This should only take about 2-4 minutes. If it takes longer, you need to get the oil hotter.
Fried calamari with greens

7 Comments »

  1. Comment by Laurie Constantino

    Yep, this is exactly how I do it and is one of my old reliable dinners. It should be definitely be served with horta, as you have done. Now I want some!

  2. Comment by lulu

    Laurie, do you take the fin and skin off? I did because Jacques Pepin said to :-) but in another Greek cookbook it looks like they left the skin on.

  3. Comment by Laurie Constantino

    Hi Lulu: I take the skin off and leave the fins on (unless they accidentally get pulled off and then I don’t worry about it). I’ve watched the village ladies do it the same way.

  4. Comment by lulu

    Thanks for the info, Laurie. I’ll do it that way in the future. I hate to waste anything.

  5. Comment by Lulu

    Hi! Thanks for stopping by my blog yesterday!

    My husband’s most favorite thing in the world is calamari…hmm…perhaps now I can make it for him!

    ~The other Lulu

  6. Comment by lulu

    Hi Lulu! Absolutely you can make it for him, make your man happy! :-)

  7. Comment by edward maccone

    what can i do after frying calamari and next day it is rubbery?

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