Roast one head of garlic at 400°F for 1 hour.
Make a paste with the roasted garlic and 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
In a bowl, mix 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon granulated garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon paprika.
Rinse the 1 ½ lb of calamari under cold water and dry them well.
Add the calamari to the flour mixture and toss to evenly coat.
Fry the calamari in batches in a deep skillet with medium-low heat, being careful not to overcrowd.
Season the fried calamari with salt between each batch.
Add the garlic butter to the skillet and toss the fried calamari in it.
Top with sliced pickled cherry peppers.
