Battered fried calamari - calamari a la romana

Name: Battered fried calamari - calamari a la romana
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: En
Ingredients: 2.2 lbs cleaned calamari, cut into rings (fresh or frozen); 1 egg; 1 tsp baking soda; 1¼ cups sparkling water; 1½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 pinch food coloring (optional); 4 tbsp cognac; Salt to taste; Oil for frying; Salt to taste (for finishing)

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Starter

Very Easy

35 min

347 Kcal

Today we are cooking one of the most popular dishes from the Spanish coast, which consists of crispy battered calamari, also known as calamari a la romana. They are usually served as an appetizer with a slice of lemon or, as done in other places, eaten in a sandwich. If you want to learn how to prepare these fried calamari just like they do in many bars and restaurants, follow the step-by-step recipe we provide below.

Materials

bowl, whisk, frying pan or deep fryer, paper towels

Preparation

Preparation20 min

Cook time15 min

In a bowl, lightly beat the egg with a whisk, just enough to break the structure. Then add the sparkling water, flour, baking soda, food coloring, and cognac. Mix well until you have a smooth batter without lumps.

Cover the bowl with kitchen wrap and refrigerate the mixture for a minimum of 5 hours.
After this time, clean the calamari well and cut them into rings. Place the rings on absorbent paper to remove excess moisture (this will improve frying).
Dust the calamari rings with flour. Then dip each one into the batter and carefully place them one by one into a fryer or pan with plenty of hot oil. The oil should be approximately 350°F/180ºC.
Fry for about 5 minutes or until the rings turn golden brown. When removing them from the fryer, place them on a tray lined with absorbent paper to remove excess oil. Salt to taste.
And that's it! You can serve them with a sprig of parsley and a slice of lemon.

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Observations

How to know if our batter is at the right point? Dip a finger into the batter. It should coat your finger with a thin layer. If you find that the batter is too liquid and drips, add a little more flour until it reaches the right consistency.