Polpo alla frantoiana with mashed potatoes

‘Polpo alla frantoiana’ is a flavorful dish and represents a tasty blend between sea and land. To accompany the octopus, a mashed potatoes base creates the perfect foundation. Here is the recipe for preparing ‘Polpo alla frantoiana’ with mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

• 1 octopus of about 1-1.5 kg
• 500 g of potatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 chili pepper (optional)
• 300 ml of tomato puree
• 100 ml of white wine
• Black olives to taste
• Salted capers to taste
• Chopped parsley to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the mashed potatoes:

• Potatoes (already included in the 500 g)
• Milk to taste
• Butter to taste
• Salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste

Preparation

For the octopus:

1. Begin by cleaning the octopus, removing the innards, eyes, and beak. Rinse it under cold water.
2. In a large pot, boil the octopus starting from cold unsalted water for about 40 minutes, or until it becomes tender. To check if it’s cooked, pierce the thickest part with a fork.
3. Once cooked, cut the octopus into pieces and set aside.
4. In a large pan, fry the crushed garlic (and chili pepper if using) in extra virgin olive oil.
5. Add the octopus pieces and let them brown well.
6. Deglaze with the white wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate.
7. Add the tomato puree, olives, and desalted capers. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Let cook on low heat for about 10-15 minutes.

For the mashed potatoes:

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into uniform pieces.
2. Boil them in salted water until they are soft.
3. Drain them and mash them with a potato masher or pass them through a food mill.
4. Put the mash in a pot and add butter, some hot milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
5. Stir well until you get a smooth and creamy mixture.

To serve, put a base of mashed potatoes on each plate and lay the ‘Polpo alla frantoiana’ on top. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Curiosity

The name “alla frantoiana” refers to the method of crushing olives for oil extraction. The flavors used in this dish, such as olives and capers, are often associated with lands where oil mills are found, typical of Mediterranean culture and, in particular, Italian cuisine. This is a classic example of how the sea and the land come together in dishes, blending the products of fishing with those of agriculture.