Fried Calamari

Method

1. 1Clean the squid: pull the head and tentacles out of the body, remove the clear quill inside and rinse well. Cut the bodies into rings about 1 cm wide and keep the tentacles whole. Dry everything thoroughly with paper towels, twice if needed. Wet squid spits in hot oil and turns the flour into paste.
2. 2Pour the oil into a heavy 20 cm pot (it should be about 3 cm deep) and heat it to 180°C. Without a thermometer, drop in a small piece of squid: it should sizzle at once and rise to the surface without darkening right away. Mix the flour and semolina in a bowl, toss the rings in it, then shake them in a sieve so only a thin coat stays on.
3. 3Fry in 3–4 batches, a handful at a time, for 1½–2 minutes, until pale gold. A crowded pot cools the oil and the squid soaks it up; a minute too long and the rings turn rubbery. Let the oil come back to 180°C between batches.
4. 4Lift the calamari out with a slotted spoon onto paper towels and salt them at once, while they still glisten so the salt sticks. Serve immediately with lemon wedges. They lose their crunch within minutes.