A GUIDE TO PERFECT CRISPY CALAMARI
A Guide To Perfect Crispy Calamari
There are few things better than a plate of perfectly fried calamari - golden and shatteringly crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, with plenty of fresh lemon alongside. And while it’s one of the simplest things to make, a few small details make all the difference between beautifully crisp calamari and something heavy, greasy or, even worse, rubbery.
Here’s how to get it right every time.
Start with good calamari
Fresh calamari is wonderful, but good-quality frozen calamari works beautifully too. If you’re using frozen, make sure it’s completely thawed before you begin.
Cut the bodies into even rings and keep the tentacles whole. Then comes one of the most important steps: dry it really, really well. Any excess moisture will work against you when you’re trying to create that beautiful crisp coating.
Spread the calamari over a clean kitchen towel or plenty of paper towel and pat thoroughly dry.
Keep the coating light
This isn’t the place for a thick batter. You want just enough coating to give the calamari that delicate, craggy crunch while still letting the seafood shine.
I like a simple mixture of plain flour and cornstarch. The flour gives you structure and colour, while the cornstarch makes everything lighter and noticeably crispier.
Toss the calamari through the flour mixture just before frying, then shake off the excess. You want a whisper of coating, not a winter coat.
Get your oil properly hot
The sweet spot is around 180°C / 350°F.
If the oil isn’t hot enough, the calamari will sit there absorbing it and become greasy. Too hot, and the coating will brown before the calamari has cooked properly.
A thermometer makes life easier, but if you don’t have one, drop a tiny pinch of the flour mixture into the oil. It should immediately bubble enthusiastically without burning.
Never crowd the pan
This is probably the biggest mistake people make.
Fry the calamari in small batches. Adding too much at once drops the temperature of the oil, and suddenly you’re steaming your calamari instead of frying it.
Give every piece a little room to do its thing.
Fry it fast and give it a turn
Calamari does not benefit from lingering in hot oil. Depending on the size of your rings, 1½–2 minutes is usually enough.
Once the calamari hits the oil, gently turn the pieces as they fry so they cook and crisp evenly on all sides. You’re looking for a pale golden colour and a beautifully crisp exterior. As soon as it gets there, get it out.
Calamari tends to be tender when cooked very quickly or very slowly. Everything in between is where the rubber lives.
Drain it properly
Lift the calamari from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a wire rack if you have one. This allows the excess oil to drip away without the underside sitting in it and becoming soggy.
Paper towel works too, but don’t pile the calamari on top of itself while it’s piping hot. Trapped steam is the enemy of crunch.
Lemon comes last
Serve your calamari with plenty of fresh lemon wedges, but resist the temptation to squeeze them over the whole plate before serving. Lemon juice and crisp coating are not friends.
Bring everything to the table piping hot and let everyone squeeze their own lemon over as they eat.
If you’re lucky enough to be getting your calamari fresh from the Greek islands, skip the salt — you’ll get all the saltiness you need from the sea. Otherwise, a couple of fat pinches of salt in your flour will do the trick.
PERFECT CRISPY CALAMARI
Servings: 4 to 6 as a mezze
If you’re lucky enough to be getting your calamari fresh from the Greek islands, skip the salt — you’ll get all the saltiness you need from the sea. Otherwise, a couple of fat pinches of salt in your flour will do the trick.
Ingredients
1 kg cleaned calamari, bodies cut into rings and tentacles left whole
200-300 grams plain flour
1 TBS dried oregano (optional)
2 generous pinches fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable or sunflower oil, for deep-frying
Flaky sea salt, to finish
Lemon wedges, to serve
INSTRUCTIONS
Pat the calamari thoroughly dry with paper towel.
Combine the flour and dried oregano (if using) in a large shallow bowl and season with the salt and a good grind of black pepper.
Pour enough oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pan to come about 5 cm up the sides. Heat to 180°C / 350°F.
Working in small batches, toss the calamari through the flour mixture until lightly coated, shaking off any excess.
Carefully lower the calamari into the hot oil. Fry for 1½–2 minutes, gently turning the pieces in the oil as they cook so they become crisp and evenly golden on all sides.
Lift out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a wire rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining calamari, allowing the oil to return to 180°C between batches.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.