Stewed octopus: the recipe for the second course of tasty and fragrant fish

I stewed octopus they are a simple and very tasty seafood dish. Close relatives of the Luciana octopus, they can be served as according toon the occasion of a lunch with family or a fish-based dinner with friends, or like antipasto delicious to bring to the table in single-portion cocotte. The baby octopus, once sweetly flavored with oil, garlic and chilli, and blended with white wine, are cooked covered with a lid, slowly and at low heat, in a gravy appetizing and fragrant.

The result will be gods octopus tender and tasty, to be served with plenty of tomato sauce and served with slices of toast: for a succulent and shoe-proof dish that will conquer everyone. If you like, you can add sliced ​​olives and capers to the preparation, use the dressing to make a delicious plate of spaghetti or, simply, you can blanch the octopus and serve them in a salad with potatoes, a drizzle of oil and a sprinkling of parsley and zest grated lemon.

For even cooking, choose if possible baby octopus of the same size and make sure they are freshly caught. To do this, check that the tentacles are intact and firm, with a good smell of musk (from which their name derives) and with a shiny color: as the days go by they tend to lose their brilliance and take on a yellowish or gray color. dark, depending on the variety chosen (dark, more precious, or white).

If you prefer you can clean baby octopus following our advice, or get help from your trusted fishmonger. Once ready, before starting to cook them, we suggest you to lightly beat them on a cutting board: this will break the fibers and will be even softer.

Find out how to prepare stewed baby octopus by following the step by step procedure and advice.

How to prepare stewed baby octopus

Clean the octopus by removing the eyes and the beak on the tentacles, empty the bag and rinse them well under running water; then pat them with absorbent kitchen paper and collect them in a bowl 1.

Heat a little oil in a saucepan 2 with high edges.

Add the garlic cloves 3.

Add a pinch of red pepper 4 and let it brown for a few minutes over low heat.

At this point, cut the octopus into smaller pieces 5.

Transfer the baby octopus to the saucepan 6 and remove the garlic cloves.

Let them cook over low heat, covered with a lid, for about 10 minutes or until they change color 7.

Blend with white wine 8.

Pour the tomato puree into the saucepan 9season with salt and cook gently, always covered with the lid, for about 1 hour.

Once ready 10lift from the fire.

Perfume with chopped parsley 11 and mix well with a spoon.

Arrange the baby octopus with the sauce in individual bowls, accompanied with slices of toast 12bring to the table and serve.

storage

Stewed baby octopus can be kept in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 2 days massimo.