Fritto Di Calamari E Gamberi Recipe
Classic Fried Calamari - Shrimp
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Seafood
Dry Coating
Wet Batter (optional)
For Frying & Serving
Method
Seafood Preparation
- 1
Prepare the calamari
Pat squid tubes and tentacles very dry with paper towels. If tubes are larger, slice into 1/2-inch rings. Keep squid chilled until ready to dredge; excess moisture prevents proper crisping.
- 2
Prepare the shrimp
Pat shrimp dry. If they are large, leave whole; if medium, you may butterfly slightly to ensure even cooking. Keep chilled with the squid until ready to bread.
Coating
- 3
Mix dry coating
In a wide shallow bowl or rimmed tray combine all-purpose flour, semolina (if using), rice flour (if using), kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and oregano. Whisk to combine and break any lumps.
- 4
Prepare wet batter (optional)
If using a light batter, whisk the egg in a second shallow bowl then gradually stir in the cold sparkling water or club soda until just combined. The batter should be thin — enough to coat but not heavy. If you prefer a dry dredge only, skip this step.
- 5
Set up a dredging station with the seafood on a tray, the dry coating in a shallow bowl, and the optional wet batter in another bowl. Have a wire rack or paper towel-lined tray ready for draining.
Frying
- 6
Heat the oil
Pour oil into a wide, heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet to a depth of about 1 to 1 1/2 inches (enough to shallow-deep fry). Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a pinch of flour into the oil— it should sizzle and float up quickly.
- 7
Dredge the seafood
Working in small batches to avoid crowding, lightly dust a portion of the calamari and shrimp in the dry flour mixture, shaking off excess. For a crisp, lightly battered finish, dip the dredged seafood briefly into the wet batter, letting excess drip off, then return to the flour mixture for a final light coat.
- 8
Fry until golden
Carefully lower a single layer of coated calamari rings and shrimp into the hot oil. Fry shrimp 1.5–2 minutes until pink and opaque and coating is golden. Fry calamari rings 1.5–2.5 minutes—cook just until golden and tender (overcooking makes squid rubbery). Maintain oil temperature around 325–350°F by adjusting heat. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove seafood when done.
- 9