Larry and I love calamari. I don’t cook it too often, though we eat it on the rare occasions we do go out to eat. That being said, I did make some the other day, to go with my Greek stuffed tomatoes. I kept it all in a Greek theme and made my calamari in the Greek style too. Even though we will not be traveling to Greece until May 2027, I am already getting a head start on my Greek cooking. 🙂
Calamari has been a staple in the Greek diet for 1000’s of years; ever since the Bronze age during the Mycenaean period. The word “calamari” actually comes from Italian, while the root of the word traces back to ancient Greek (kalamos, meaning reed or pen). Because squid is abundant in the Mediterranean Sea, eating squid is a long-standing tradition across many coastal cultures, including Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey. Ancient cooks prepared squid by roasting or boiling it, seasoning the meat with local olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and cumin. In the 4th century BC, the Sicilian-Greek poet Archestratus wrote about squid and octopus as fine delicacies worthy of celebration. In Greece, calamari is rarely eaten on its own. It is served with a variety of other dishes, in the meze style. Eating calamari among friends is considered to be a sign of good hospitality. Sharing a plate of fried or grilled squid remains a cultural gesture of community, celebration, and connection to the Mediterranean sea.
Greek Calamari
The only real difference between Greek styled calamari and “regular” fried calamari is the addition of a little dried oregano in the flour mixture. This recipe is super easy-peasy and delicious.
As I was doing my research for this recipe, I discovered a little trick that I never knew before. Soak the calamari rings in milk or buttermilk for about 30 minutes or so before coating it and frying it. It will take some of the “fishiness” out and will help to keep the calamari tender. Though, if you do not over cook them, them will be tender anyway. Mine came out very tender.
1 1/2-2 lbs calamari rings
1/2 cup flour
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp dried oregano
Mix everything together well and add the calamari. Toss well and thoroughly coat the calamari rings.
Then fry in hot oil. You can either pan fry them, like the traditional Greek way, or if you have a deep fryer, you can deep fry them for a couple of minutes. I deep fried them in my fryer for about 3 minutes per batch. I cooked them in small batches.
I made a lemon aioli to dip the calamari in too.
Simple Lemon Aioli
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1-2 tsp garlic
1 tsp capers
1 TBSP lemon juice
1-2 tsp lemon olive oil, optional
1-2 tsp lemon vinegar, optional
Mix everything together well and serve.
When it all came together, it was so Greek to me. 🙂
Life is short. Make the most out of everyday. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the ride. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.
