SPICY FRIED CALAMARI WITH LEMON
- Âľ cup whole-wheat flour
- 2½ cups whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs,
- 4 large egg whites
- 8 ounces cleaned calamari bodies, cut into ½-inch-wide rings
- Garlic salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 cup fra diavolo pasta sauce, such as Victoria
- 4 lemon wedges
Instructions:
Fried calamari and tomato sauce is one of the great food combinations. Fried calamari is sweet and crispy, and tomato sauce is slightly acidic—that’s a culinary trifecta!
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a wire rack on a foillined baking sheet, and set it aside. lined baking sheet, and set it aside.
-  Put the flour in a shallow dish. Put the panko in another shallow dish. In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites with a whisk until they are extremely foamy but not quite holding peaks.
- Working in batches, dredge the calamari in the flour, shaking off any excess. Add the calamari to the egg whites and toss to coat completely. Add the calamari, a few pieces at a time, to the panko to coat completely.
- Spread the calamari out on the wire rack, and season generously with garlic salt and pepper. Spray the calamari lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Bake until the breading is golden and crispy and the calamari is cooked through, about 14 minutes.
-  Meanwhile, pour the pasta sauce into a small microwave-safe bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and heat it in the microwave until it is hot, about 2 minutes.
-  Serve the calamari with the lemon wedges and the sauce for dipping.