Fried Squid  

Calamari fritti 

Friday was the only day that we served fried squid at Joe’s of Avenue “U”.
Fried calamari are extremely easy to prepare and requires little time: can be a delightful appetizer or an enjoyable entrée.
The delicate taste of the squid is enhanced by the frying process; when served with lemons, the zesty juice of them will burst out the fried calamari subtle flavor. 
In most USA restaurants, fried squid are served with a side portion of marinara or hot sauce. This practice although is established universally, it is rejected in Italy because the dipping sauce takes away from the particular gusto of the fried calamari. 
Make sure you are using good quality squid, 6 to 8 in a pound and preferably Atlantic squid caught in the New England States area: quality is vital to tenderness.
To make calamari fritti, you need squid, oil, and flour mixed with a bit of baking powder, for a crispy texture. For frying use canola, peanut or corn oil, they are the choice.

Serves 4 

Ingredients: 

·   3 lbs clean squid, tentacles and the bodies separated 

·   3 cups of flour 

·   1/2 teaspoon of baking powder 

·   3 cups of oil 

·   salt 

Preparation 

Place the squid on a clean kitchen rag or paper towels to remove as much water as possible, keeping tentacles and rings separate. Mix the flour with the baking powder.
Dredge a small batch (about 1/3) of calamari rings in the flour and with the help of a strainer remove as much flour as possible.
Ideally, if you have a deep fryer set at 375 degrees, it would make the frying very simple, if you don’t have a fryer, heat 1½ cups of oil in a 10 inch skillet or in a 3 quart saucepan and before it starts to smoke, lower the floured squid in the hot oil being very careful not to burn yourself and make sure that you do not crowd the squid. 

Turn the frying calamari, which are cooked when light golden brown on all sides.
Repeat the operation until you have fried all the rings and tentacles, as you fry, add oil if needed.
Drain the fried calamari on a rack or on paper towels.
Sprinkle with salt, serve hot and garnish with quartered lemons.