Chef Isabel
Berenjenas Fritas con Miel de Caña
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Calamares a la Romana
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Calamares a la Romana are Madrid's bar-counter classic: squid rings in a light egg batter, fried in very hot oil so the coating crisps before the squid tightens.
Appetizers & Snacks
Spanish
Comfort Food
Game Day
Dinner Party
20 min
Active Time
10 min cook•30 min total
Yield4 servings
Calamares a la Romana are Madrileños by fame, even if the squid itself comes from the sea Madrid doesn't have. In the bars around the Plaza Mayor they arrive as rings on a plate, or inside bread as a bocadillo de calamares, with lemon and no fuss. What makes them a la romana is the batter: flour, egg, a little liquid, and very hot oil, not the dry flour dusting of an Andalusian fry.
The method that decides them is drying the squid and frying it fast. Squid carries water, and water is the enemy of a crisp coat. Pat the rings dry, salt them lightly, flour them first so the batter grips, then fry in small batches at 180C. Two minutes is plenty. Leave them longer and they turn rubbery, as if the sea were taking revenge.
If you're far from a Madrid bar, no hace falta haber pisado España. Use cleaned frozen squid tubes if that's what you can get, thawed slowly and dried very well. Fresh squid has the sweeter bite, frozen gives up a little more water, so be stricter with the towels and the hot oil. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.
Calamares a la Romana belong most famously to Madrid's tavern cooking, especially the fried squid sandwiches served around the Plaza Mayor, a landlocked habit made possible by the steady arrival of fish from the Spanish coasts. The name a la romana in Spain points to an egg-based batter used for frying, a style distinct from the lighter flour-only frituras of Andalucía and the rabas cut thicker along the northern coast. Their place on the Madrid counter is practical and plain: quick-fried squid, bread or lemon, and a drink beside it.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
cleaned squid tubes and tentacles
Quantity
600g
cut into 1cm rings
plain flour
Quantity
120g
for batter
plain flour
Quantity
40g
for dusting
large eggs
Quantity
2
cold sparkling water or cold beer
Quantity
120ml
fine sea salt
Quantity
1 teaspoon, plus more to finish
baking powder
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
sunflower or mild olive oil
Quantity
for deep frying
lemon
Quantity
1
cut into wedges
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| cleaned squid tubes and tentaclescut into 1cm rings | 600g |
| plain flourfor batter | 120g |
| plain flourfor dusting | 40g |
| large eggs | 2 |
| cold sparkling water or cold beer | 120ml |
| fine sea salt | 1 teaspoon, plus more to finish |
| baking powder | 1/2 teaspoon |
| sunflower or mild olive oil | for deep frying |
| lemoncut into wedges | 1 |
Equipment Needed
- •Heavy deep pan or Dutch oven
- •Kitchen thermometer
- •Wire rack
- •Tongs or spider strainer
Instructions
- 1
Dry the squid
Cut the cleaned squid into rings about 1cm thick and keep the tentacles in small clusters. Pat everything very dry with kitchen paper, then salt lightly. This is not a small detail. Wet squid throws water into the batter and the oil, and the coating slides off before it can crisp.
If using frozen squid, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, drain it well, and press it between towels for a full minute. Frozen squid works, but it brings more water with it. - 2
Make the batter
Whisk 120g flour with the baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Beat in the eggs, then whisk in the cold sparkling water or beer until you have a smooth batter the thickness of light cream. Let it stand for 10 minutes while the oil heats.
- 3
Heat the oil
Pour 5cm oil into a heavy pan and heat to 180C. If you have no thermometer, drop in a little batter; it should rise at once and fizz hard without darkening immediately. Too cool and the squid drinks oil. Too hot and the batter browns before the squid is tender.
- 4
Flour and batter
Put the extra 40g flour in a shallow dish. Toss a handful of squid rings in the flour, shake off every loose bit, then dip them in the batter. Let the excess fall back into the bowl. That first dry flour layer is what gives the batter something to hold on to.
- 5
Fry fast
Lower the battered squid into the oil one piece at a time, without crowding the pan. Fry for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, turning once, until pale gold and crisp. Do not chase a dark crust; by then the squid will be tough. Lift to a rack or paper-lined tray and salt while hot.
- 6
Serve at once
Serve immediately with lemon wedges. Calamares a la Romana wait for nobody. If you want the Madrid way, tuck them into a split barra of bread with a squeeze of lemon, and leave the sauces out of it.
Chef Tips
- •Buy squid that smells clean and faintly of the sea, never sharp. Smaller squid are usually more tender. If all you can find is cleaned frozen squid, use it without shame, but dry it harder than you think you need to.
- •Keep the batter cold and the oil hot. That contrast is what sets the coat quickly before the squid overcooks. Pésalo, no lo adivines: too much liquid gives you a thin coat that slips away.
- •Fry in small batches and let the oil come back to 180C between them. Crowding the pan drops the temperature, and then you get oily rings instead of crisp ones.
- •Eat them as soon as they come out. Fried squid does not improve by sitting under a lid, and a covered plate traps moisture against the batter.
Advance Preparation
- •The squid can be cleaned, cut, and kept covered in the refrigerator up to 12 hours ahead. Dry it again just before flouring.
- •The batter can stand for 30 minutes in the refrigerator, but whisk it briefly before using. Fry only at the last minute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 185g)
Calories
480 calories
Total Fat
27 g
Saturated Fat
4 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
22 g
Cholesterol
430 mg
Sodium
850 mg
Total Carbohydrates
30 g
Dietary Fiber
1 g
Sugars
1 g
Protein
29 g
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