serves
4
prep
15 minutes
cook
20 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
20
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, zested, juiced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp rigani (Greek oregano) or regular oregano
- 80 ml (⅔ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 16 (about 800 g) baby calamari, cleaned, skin removed, tentacles reserved
- lemon wedges, souvlaki bread, black olives and peperoncini (pickled peppers), to serve
Fried saganaki
- 400 g kefalograviera (see Note) or kasseri (see Note)
- 35 g (⅔ cup) plain flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp ouzo (see Note) or other white spirit
- ½ lemon, juiced
Greek salad
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, chopped
- 1 small red onion, sliced into rings
- 40 g (¼ cup) Kalamata olives
- 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
You will need to begin this recipe 1 day ahead.
Marinating time overnight
Instructions
Whisk lemon zest and juice, garlic, rigani and 60 ml oil in a bowl. Reserve one-third in a separate bowl, cover and set aside. Toss calamari hoods and tentacles with remaining marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
To make saganaki, cut cheese into 4 x 1.5 cm-thick rectangles. Dip each piece in water, shake off excess then dust with flour. Heat oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add cheese and cook for 3 minutes each side or until golden. Add ouzo, remove from heat and ignite. Drizzle with lemon juice and keep warm.
To make salad, combine tomato, cucumber, onion and olives in a bowl. Whisk oil and oregano until combined. Drizzle over salad and toss gently to combine.
Drain calamari and season with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a chargrill pan over high heat and cook calamari, basting halfway with reserved marinade, for 3 minutes each side or until golden.
Transfer to a plate and serve with fried saganaki, Greek salad, lemon wedges, souvlaki bread, black olives and pickled peppers.
Note
Kefalograviera is a hard, salty, Greek sheep’s-milk cheese. Kasseri is a semi-soft Greek sheep’s-milk cheese. Both are available from selected delis and specialist food shops.
Ouzo, from bottle shops, is an anise-flavoured liqueur.
Drink 2011 Margan Semillon, Hunter Valley ($18)
As seen in Feast Magazine, Issue 14, pg64.
Photography by Armelle Habib
Drink 2011 Margan Semillon, Hunter Valley ($18)
As seen in Feast Magazine, Issue 14, pg64.
Photography by Armelle Habib
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
