PREPARATION 20 min:
To prepare fried calamari, start by cleaning the calamari: rinse them under plenty of fresh running water, then gently separate the head from the mantle with your hands. Once the head is removed, always with your hands, look for the transparent cartilage feather that is in the mantle and gently remove it. Pass the calamari under running water again, wash it thoroughly and use your hands to remove the innards from the mantle. Then move on to removing the external skin: use a small knife to cut the end of the mantle, just enough to take a flap of the skin, and completely remove the covering with your hands or with the help of a small knife. To finish cleaning the mantle, always with a small knife, remove the fins. Cut the mantle into rings 0.5 cm thick or alternatively you can obtain thin strips: open the mantle like a book, use a knife to cut the end, divide it in half and cut into strips. Take the tentacles and remove the central tooth by opening them outwards with your hands and pushing the central part (i.e. the mouth) upwards, then put everything in a colander to remove the excess water.
Now take care of the breading: on a tray distribute the flour, then arrange the squid rings, mixing them so that the breading adheres well on all sides. Pass them through a colander, so that they lose the excess flour. Place a large pan with the frying oil on the stove, checking that the temperature reaches 170° with the help of a kitchen thermometer. At this point fry the breaded rings a few at a time for 3-4 minutes, until they are golden brown and crispy. Drain them with a slotted spoon and place them on a tray lined with absorbent paper to drain the excess oil. Season with salt to taste and serve your fried calamari piping hot!