Cold Pasta with Octopus

Cold pasta with octopus is a delicious dish, perfect for summer, combining the flavors of the sea with the freshness of vegetables and seasonings.

Ingredients

• 300 grams of short pasta (penne, fusilli, farfalle)
• 1 medium-sized octopus (about 500-700 grams)
• 2 stalks of celery
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• Fresh parsley
• 1 lemon
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Preparation

1. Start with cooking the octopus. Put the octopus in a large pot and cover it just with cold water, add the bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and let it cook for about 40-60 minutes or until the octopus is tender. The cooking time may vary based on the size of the octopus.
2. Once cooked, turn off the heat and let the octopus cool in its water. This process will help make the octopus even more tender.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water following the package instructions to achieve an al dente texture. Once strained, run it under cold water to stop the cooking process and to keep it fresh.
4. Slice the celery into thin strips and halve the cherry tomatoes.
5. Drain the octopus and cut it into pieces of a size suitable for easy eating.
6. In a large bowl, put the cold pasta, add the octopus, celery, cherry tomatoes, a pinch of salt and pepper, plenty of extra virgin olive oil, and the lemon juice. Gently mix all the ingredients together.
7. Transfer the pasta to a serving dish and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
8. Let the pasta rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving, to allow the flavors to meld together well.

Curiosities

Octopus is a very versatile ingredient in the kitchen, rich in proteins and with low fat content. An interesting fact is that to test the tenderness of the octopus, you can stick a fork into the thickest part of the tentacles; if it goes in without resistance, it’s ready. Also, it is said that to make the octopus softer, some chefs recommend dipping it three times in boiling water before letting it cook all the way through.

An Italian version of the dish might also include Taggiasca olives and a touch of desalted anchovies to add more flavor and evoke the Mediterranean cuisine.