Crispy deep-fried squid

Ingredients:

Squid

• 450 g of cleaned squid with tentacles, cut the carcasses into rings 0.5-1 cm thick.
• 2 cups premium flour
• 2 tbsp. l. dried parsley
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges
• 1 cup plain tomato sauce (see recipe below), or warmed store-bought marinara sauce
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying

Simple tomato sauce

• 0.5 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 cans of 900g canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 dry bay leaves
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

Preparation:

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, add enough vegetable oil to create a depth of 7 cm. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 175°C (350°F) on a deep-fry thermometer. In a large bowl, combine the flour, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Working in small batches, toss the squid in the flour mixture until completely coated. Carefully lower them into the oil and fry until crisp and pale golden brown, about 1 minute per batch. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the fried squid to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
2. Place the fried calamari and lemon wedges on a clean plate. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with marinara sauce.
   
   

   Simple tomato sauce

   
   In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5-10 minutes. Add the celery and carrots, season with salt and pepper. Cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 5-10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaf and simmer over low heat for 1 hour or until thickened. Remove the bay leaf and taste the sauce. If it's still tart, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Pour 0.5 cups of tomato sauce into a food processor. Blend until smooth. Blend the remaining sauce in the same manner. If you're not using all of the sauce at once, let it cool completely and then divide it into freezer bags in manageable 1-2 tablespoon portions. Can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
   Exit: 6 tbsp.