Fried calamari

1) Pour enough oil into a heavy large saucepan to reach the depth of 7.5-cm. Heat over medium heat to 175°C.

2) Mix the flour, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Working in small batches, toss the squid into the flour mixture to coat. Carefully add the squid to the oil and fry until crisp and very pale golden, about one minute per batch. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the fried calamari to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.

3) Place the fried calamari and lemon wedges on a clean plate. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with the tomato sauce.

For the Simple Tomato Sauce

1) In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes.

2) Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer uncovered on low heat for one hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.

3) Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 250ml - 500ml portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.
Makes about 1.5L
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes