044Fried squid

Method

Classic seaside taverna style. Serve immediately as a meze, accompanied by cold beer, ouzo, or retsina.

You will need

• kitchen paper
• shallow bowl
• mesh sieve
• deep frying pan or heavy saucepan
• slotted spoon
• wire cooling rack

1. Pat the cleaned squid rings and tentacles thoroughly dry with several layers of kitchen paper until completely moisture-free on the surface. 5 min Ready when: squid pieces feel tacky and dry to touch
2. In a wide shallow dish or paper bag, whisk together the plain flour, fine semolina, 1 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper. 2 min Ready when: flour mixture is evenly seasoned
3. Pour the frying oil into a deep wide pan or saucepan to a depth of at least 4 centimetres and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 185C. 6 min · 185°C / 365°F Ready when: a pinch of flour dropped in sizzles vigorously and stays on the surface
4. Toss a handful of squid pieces in the flour, then lift them into a wire sieve and shake vigorously to dislodge every trace of excess flour. 2 min Ready when: pieces have an ultra-thin, almost invisible coating
5. Drop the dredged squid into the hot oil in loose batches, avoiding overcrowding, and fry for 90 to 120 seconds until pale golden and crisp. 2 min · 185°C / 365°F Ready when: crust is crisp and squid is opaque and tender, not rubbery
6. Remove with a slotted spoon to a wire rack or kitchen paper, sprinkle immediately with a pinch of sea salt, and repeat with the remaining squid. 3 min Ready when: fried batches drained of excess oil
7. Pile onto a platter and serve immediately with plenty of fresh lemon wedges. 1 min Ready when: served piping hot

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Make ahead and storing

Clean and cut the squid in advance, but do not flour until right before dropping into the oil.

Not suitable for keeping; fried squid turns soggy and rubbery upon cooling.

Substitutions

• cornflour for fine semolina. Can substitute cornflour or simply omit and use 100% plain flour.

Common mistakes

• Frying wet squid. Surface water causes the oil to splatter dangerously, drops the oil temperature, and turns the crust soft and steamed.
• Overcooking past two minutes. Squid proteins seize rapidly when exposed to high heat, turning tender flesh into rubber.
• Overcrowding the pan. Dumping too much squid in at once plummets the oil temperature, creating greasy, pale rings.

Regional variants

• Island style (using tiny whole baby squid, dredged and fried whole)
• Ouzo-marinated (sprinkled with ouzo and drained before flouring)

About the dish

Fried squid is the quintessential Greek seaside taverna dish and an indispensable element of Orthodox fasting culture. Because cephalopods have no backbone, kalamari is deemed nistisimo (fasting-compliant) throughout Lent and holy periods. In the Greek tradition, unlike in western batter-coated versions, the squid is dredged strictly in seasoned flour, shaken completely free of excess dust, and flash-fried in boiling oil for barely two minutes to maintain tenderness.

Found in all of Greece. Cooked for everyday, summer, lent.

Cousins elsewhere

• Calamari fritti (Italian). Shared Mediterranean method of light flour dusting and quick flash-frying, differing primarily in the accompaniments.
• Calamares a la romana (Spanish). Spanish calamari are often dipped in a light batter rather than simply dredged dry in flour.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

1352 kcal · protein 35.6 g · fat 118.3 g (saturated 16.7 g) · carbohydrate 39.7 g (sugars 1.4 g) · fibre 2.5 g · sodium 964 mg

An estimate (summed from ingredient estimates) that varies with the exact ingredients. It is not dietary advice.

Written fresh by Epikouria editors from general culinary tradition. Recipe by the Epikouria editors. Standard Greek psarotaverna technique: dry dredging, shaking off surplus starch, and quick flash-frying..