To prepare the baked calamari rings, start by rinsing the squid under cold running water. Detach the head and tentacles from the mantle (tube) and set them aside. Pull out and discard the transparent cartilage quill. Rinse the inside of the tube again under running water to remove any remaining entrails and the ink sac, if present. Peel away the thin outer skin: make a small cut at the base of the mantle with a paring knife and pull the skin off completely using your fingers or the knife; remove the fins as well. Take the head you set aside, cut away the eyes and beak, and keep the tentacles. Thoroughly rinse all the cleaned squid pieces under cold running water and pat them dry.
Slice the squid tubes into rings approximately 1 cm (½ inch) thick and place them in a bowl along with the tentacles. Next, prepare the coating: in a separate bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, sweet paprika, and a teaspoon of fine salt.
Pour the breadcrumb mixture into a wide, shallow dish. Add the calamari rings and tentacles, tossing thoroughly until they are evenly coated on all sides.
Transfer the coated calamari in batches into a coarse-mesh sieve placed over a bowl; shake gently to remove any excess breadcrumb coating. Lightly grease a baking sheet with a drop of oil, then line it with parchment paper, pressing down slightly so the paper adheres.
Arrange the breaded calamari rings and tentacles in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and bake in a preheated conventional oven at 180°C (350°F) for 25 minutes, or in a convection oven at 160°C (320°F) for about 15–20 minutes, until crisp and golden.
Once cooked, serve your baked calamari rings immediately while hot.
