Almost Italian

Photo courtesy of Brave Heart at Flickr

Whether written as calamare, in proper Italian, or with various Almost Italian spellings, deep-fried squid are popular fare at street festivals in Little Italy communities all over America. Typically, the food concession will have a large container full of seasoned flour. Cut-up squid rings and tentacles are tossed into the flour and immediately scooped out with a mesh strainer. The cook shakes the strainer to sift away excess flour before dropping the squid into a deep-fryer. When the coating has browned, the squid are removed from the oil and drained before they go into a serving-size cardboard container with a slice of lemon.

Calamare fritti Americani have evolved from stand-up street food to sit-down appetizer at neighborhood Italian restaurants. Again, garnished with lemon, and possibly a sprinkling of parsley, the crispy squid are also presented with a little dish of marinara sauce for dipping.

In Rhode Island and Massachusetts, a few restaurants serve Calamare Fritti con Peperoncini. Just before serving, slices of pickled hot peppers (yellow, chartreuse or red cherry peppers) are scattered liberally over the hot squid.

Although, I’ve eaten fried calamare in Italy, I’ve never seen them served solo. They always seem to be a component of fritto misto di mare, ‘deep-fried mixed seafood,’ which usually includes small bait fish and shrimp as well. So, the recipe below has some clear Italian lineage. But whether deep-fried squid sleep alone, with the fishes, or atop a bed of Caesar Salad, in my book, they are ‘almost (but not quite) Italian.’

Ingredients:

1 lb. Baby squid
Flour for dredging, seasoned with salt & pepper (3/4 to 1 cup)
2-3 Cups canola or other neutral oil* for frying
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 Lemons, cut into wedges
Chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
5-6 Pickled, sliced peperoncini or cherry peppers (optional)

* Fifty years ago, in both the US and in Italy, the frying oil would probably have been ordinary olive oil, but changing tastes and cost have made more cooks opt for seed oils. Oils like canola, sunflower, and corn also have the benefit of being able to withstand higher temperatures. Deep-frying at higher temperatures tends to reduce the amount of oil absorbed by the frying food.

Preparation:

Clean the squid well, removing the ink sack, quill-shaped cartilage, eyes, and innards from the head. Wash and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut the bodies into half-inch rings, but leave the circle of tentacles in one piece.

If you own a deep-fryer, follow the manufacturer’s directions. Otherwise, in a saucepan, heat approximately 2 inches of oil to 375 F.

Note: the oil should not come more than half way up the sides of the pan.

The easiest way to flour the squid rings is to place them, with seasoned flour, in a paper bag. Close the top of the bag and shake. Remove the squid from the bag and strain in a fine, wire-mesh strainer to remove the excess flour.

In two or three batches, fry the floured squid in the hot oil until golden. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon or strainer and drain on paper towels. Garnish with lemon wedges, parsley, and peperoncini. Serve immediately.

Serves four as an appetizer.

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