Moscardini alla Luciana

Moscardini alla Luciana is a traditional dish of Neapolitan cuisine, very flavorful and with a Mediterranean taste. The word “Luciana” derives from Santa Lucia, the fisherman’s district in Naples. The recipe uses moscardini, which are small octopuses.

Ingredients

• 800 g of moscardini (already cleaned)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 500 g of peeled tomatoes
• 1 hot chili pepper (optional)
• Chopped fresh parsley
• 100 ml of white wine
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet and add the whole clove of garlic. Let it lightly golden.
2. Introduce the moscardini and sauté over high heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Deglaze with the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate on high heat.
4. Add the peeled tomatoes, previously crushed with a fork or cut into pieces, the chopped chili pepper (if you like it) and a pinch of salt.
5. Lower the flame, cover with a lid, and let it cook for about 30-40 minutes, until the moscardini are tender.
6. A few minutes before finishing cooking, add the chopped parsley.
7. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary.

Serve the moscardini alla Luciana hot, perhaps accompanied by slices of homemade toasted bread, to dip in the sauce. As an Italian variation, you can enrich the dish with black olives from Gaeta or capers for an extra touch of Mediterranean savoriness.

Curiosity

The term “alla Luciana” originally refers to the preparation method of the fishermen of Santa Lucia, who cooked the freshly caught fish directly on the boat, using a few simple ingredients available on board.