Fried calamari

• By Ramona Preca

For 4 people, you will need:

400g of calamari (ask the fishmonger to clean them), salt and pepper, a tablespoonful of chopped fresh mint, a tablespoonful of chopped garlic, 500g of plain flour, oil for deep-frying.

You should refrigerate the calamari until you need them. Then slice them across, so that you have rings. Pour the flour into a wide and shallow dish. Heat a heavy pan of oil to 180C. Toss the calamari rings with the garlic, mint and a pinch of salt and pepper, then pass them individually through the flour, shaking off excess. Deep-fry them a few at a time for three or four minutes or until they are golden-brown. Remove them from the oil as soon as they are cooked and leave them to drain on paper towels. Add salt to taste.