Roman-style calamari – battered calamari

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)

Materials

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

Preparation

• In a bowl, lightly beat the egg with a whisk, just enough to break it up. 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 plastic wrap and refrigerate the mixture for at least 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 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.

Observations

How can you tell if the batter is the right consistency? Dip a finger into the batter. It should coat your finger with a thin layer. If the batter is too runny and drips, add a little more flour until it reaches the right consistency.

Cookware

Questions

Photos of members who cooked this recipe