SPICY FRIED CALAMARI WITH LEMON
Fried calamari and tomato sauce is one of the great food combinations. Fried calamari is sweet and crispy, and tomato sauce is slightly acidic—that’s a culinary trifecta! Without the fat and calories of the original, you get to eat a lot of this. Use as a spicy fra diavolo pasta sauce as you can handle—the heat will make the dish feel bigger and richer. Serves 4
¾ cup whole-wheat flour
2½ cups whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs, such as Ian’s All-Natural
4 large egg whites
8 ounces cleaned calamari bodies, cut into ½-inch-wide rings
Garlic salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup fra diavolo pasta sauce, such as Victoria
4 lemon wedges
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet, and set it aside.
2. Put the flour in a shallow dish. Put the panko in another shallow dish. In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites with a whisk until they are extremely foamy but not quite holding peaks.
3. Working in batches, dredge the calamari in the flour, shaking off any excess. Add the calamari to the egg whites and toss to coat completely. Add the calamari, a few pieces at a time, to the panko to coat completely.
4. Spread the calamari out on the wire rack, and season generously with garlic salt and pepper. Spray the calamari lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Bake until the breading is golden and crispy and the calamari is cooked through, about 14 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, pour the pasta sauce into a small microwave-safe bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and heat it in the microwave until it is hot, about 2 minutes.
6. Serve the calamari with the lemon wedges and the sauce for dipping.
Healthy Tips
Use my faux-frying technique on any traditionally fried food you can’t resist but whose calorie count you can’t abide. Try it, veggie tempura style, on thin slices of sweet potato, zucchini, summer squash, carrots, broccoli florets, and mushrooms.
