Warm Octopus with Potatoes, Olives, and Tomatoes

Warm octopus with potatoes, olives, and tomatoes is a Mediterranean-flavored dish that combines various elements typical of coastal cuisine. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized octopus (about 1-1.5 kg)
• 500 g of potatoes
• 150 g of Taggiasca or Gaeta olives
• 200 g of cherry tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Fresh parsley to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Lemon zest (optional)

Preparation

1. Begin by cooking the octopus. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Once boiling, dip and lift the octopus three consecutive times to soften the tentacles, then let it cook for about 40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, wash the potatoes and boil them in their skins in salted water until tender. Drain them, peel them, and cut them into cubes.
3. Prepare an emulsion with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, crushed garlic, and chopped parsley. If desired, add some grated lemon zest for a fresh touch.
4. Rinse the olives and cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
5. When the octopus is cooked, drain it and let it cool slightly. Then, cut the octopus into not too small pieces.
6. In a large pan, heat a drizzle of oil and sauté the pieces of octopus together with the potato cubes until they are slightly golden.
7. Add the olives and cherry tomatoes, sauté for another minute or two. Turn off the heat and season with the previously prepared emulsion.
8. Arrange the octopus, potatoes, olives, and cherry tomatoes on a serving plate and serve still warm.

Curiosity

The octopus is a valuable food for its tender and tasty meat, but to ensure that it remains soft, it is crucial to cool it down immediately after cooking. This process is called “blanching” and consists of immersing the octopus in water and ice right after cooking, thus stopping the cooking process and improving its texture.