Fried Calamari with Marinara
Tender squid rings and tentacles in a light, crisp coating, with lemon and a warm marinara for dipping.
Recipe in testing: I'm cooking it in my TM7™ and will update the steps and the photo with my own.
Fried calamari is a favorite starter at Italian American restaurants: tender rings and curly tentacles in a light, crisp coating, with a squeeze of lemon, fresh parsley and a bowl of warm marinara on the side. The trick is to fry the squid quickly, so it stays tender instead of chewy.
A short soak in buttermilk keeps the squid tender and helps the coating stick. The Thermomix® TM7™ chops the parsley, simmers a quick marinara and mixes the seasoned flour, and the calamari fries in small batches in a heavy pot on the stove, ready in under two minutes.
Made in the Thermomix® TM7™
Fried Calamari with Marinara
Makes: 4 appetizer servings
- Prep20 min
- Cook30 min
- Total1 h 20 min
- Serves4
Ingredients
For the calamari
For the marinara
Instructions
- Slice the squid tubes into 1 cm (1/2 in) rings and leave the tentacles whole. Cover them with the buttermilk in a bowl and refrigerate 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
- Place the parsley in the dry mixing bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 7. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- For the marinara, place the onion and garlic in the mixing bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 5. Scrape down the sides, add the oil and sauté 3 min/120°C (250°F)/speed 1.
- Add the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and sugar. Place the simmering basket on the mixing bowl lid instead of the measuring cup and cook 15 min/100°C (212°F)/speed 1. Transfer to a bowl, then wash and dry the mixing bowl.
- Place the flour, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, paprika and pepper in the mixing bowl and mix 5 sec/speed 4. Transfer to a wide dish.
- In a heavy pot on the stove, heat 5 cm (2 in) of oil to 180°C (360°F). Lift a handful of squid from the buttermilk, let it drip, toss it in the flour and shake off the extra.
- Fry in small batches 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, just until light golden; longer makes squid rubbery. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt while hot.
- Scatter the parsley over the calamari and serve right away with lemon wedges and the warm marinara.
Tips
- Look for cleaned squid, fresh or frozen, at the seafood counter. Thaw frozen squid overnight in the fridge and pat it dry before the buttermilk soak.
- Keep the batches small so the oil stays hot, and let it come back to 180°C (360°F) before adding more.
- The marinara can be made up to 5 days ahead and kept in the fridge. Warm it before serving.
