Calamari in batter

Cookinero 5 Jan 2023

21710

Calamari in batter is an excellent hot appetizer: light and extremely tasty. Let's face it: few people are able to refuse such delicious golden rings! The dish is quick and easy to prepare, but if you want to make it even easier for yourself, buy peeled squid carcasses or even rings (they are often sold frozen). As for the batter, try to knead it until smooth, so that there are not even the slightest lumps (you can even rub it through a fine sieve). In this case, the batter will perfectly evenly cover the squid rings, and they will look incredibly attractive!

How to cook Calamari in batter

Step 1

Prepare the ingredients. Wash the squids with running water and clean. Cut the resulting carcasses into rings 1 cm wide. Place in a large wide bowl.

Step 2

Dissolve a pinch of salt in lemon juice. Mix with vegetable oil. With the resulting mixture, pour the squid rings in a bowl. Add crushed bay leaf. Cover the top of the container with cling film. Leave at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Prepare the pesto. Wash the basil, pat dry and roughly chop. Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan for two minutes, stirring constantly. Then let them cool and place in a blender bowl along with the basil. Pour in olive oil and grind everything together. Salt and pepper.

Step 4

Prepare the batter. To do this, first separate the yolks from the whites. Sift the flour through a fine sieve into a bowl. Add 1 tsp. salt, a little ground pepper and yolks, mix thoroughly. While whisking, pour in the milk. Stir until a homogeneous mass is obtained.

Step 5

Place the bowl of batter in a larger container filled with ice. Beat the whites in a strong foam and carefully, in small portions, enter into the dough, mixing with a silicone spatula.

Step 6

Heat vegetable oil for frying in a deep frying pan. Remove the squid rings from the bowl on a paper towel, blot thoroughly so that the surface of the squid dries.

Step 7

Dip the squid rings into the batter one at a time, and then immediately dip them into the hot oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side. Place the finished squid rings on paper towels to absorb excess fat. Serve with previously prepared pesto.