There are some things that are just too much trouble to cook at home. Things I only ever order in a restaurant. Deep fried artichokes, for instance. Carciofi alla Giudea are just a lot of work – and a lot of oil and spatter – for something so much easier to order here in a restaurant in Rome.
On the other hand, there are things that I cook at home because I just can’t get them in a restaurant in Rome. Tacos, chili or anything vaguely Tex-Mex is just going to be disappointing (if not disgusting) outside of the comfort of my own kitchen.
And I do understand why everyone has there own variations on this: things they would never cook at home. But I was really surprised by my sister’s comment the other day. We almost always have a discussion at some point during the day about what to make for dinner. I told her I was making octopus and her response was “Oh, that’s way too complicated. That’s a restaurant kind of thing.”
Actually, the most difficult thing about making octopus is finding one to buy. Once you’ve got that part out of the way, you basically just plunk it in a pot and cook it.
I learned how to cook octopus from my mother in law, Rosa. She lives in Bari where it is incredibly easy to get any kind of fresh seafood. And as she often tells me, she was brought up with hot and cold running fresh fish. “Siamo gente del mare”, we are people of the sea.
When she first explained this recipe I thought she was leaving something out. It just seemed too simple. “You put the octopus in a pot, with some oil, a clove of garlic and then you cook it.” I of course, being a know-it-all, assumed she had made a mistake. “You forgot to mention the water.”
“No, it cooks in it’s own water.” And in fact, that is the name of this recipe “Polpo all’acqua sua”, octopus in it’s own water.
And in fact, when octopus cooks, it looses almost a third of its weight. In this recipe, the liquid that comes out of the octopus becomes the fishy broth in which it cooks.
The trick with octopus is letting it cook long enough. It usually takes at least 45 minutes to become tender, but you can make sure by testing it along the way.
The best way to serve it is in a deep bowl, surrounded by a puddle of broth. With, of course, as many slices of crusty bread as you need to sop it all up. In the comfort of your own home.
octopus in it’s own water
Serves 4
1 kilo / 2 pounds Octopus (you might need 2 small ones)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
parsley, chopped
Have the fish monger clean the octopus for you. If you’re buying a frozen one, it should already be clean. If your using a large one, you should divide it, cutting each of the tentacles into separate ‘legs’.
Pour the olive oil into a heavy bottomed pot. Add the garlic cloves, and the octopus. Turn on heat to medium, and cover.
Cook until done. This should take at least 45 minutes, but could take up to an hour. To test for doneness just take one of the pieces out and cut a piece off and taste it. It should be firm, but very easy to chew.
To serve place a tentacle or two in a deep bottomed dish, top with a ladle full of juices and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread to sop of the juices.
I was lucky enough once to taste Octopus at the Piazza Major in Madrid.The served it on a wooden platter. I loved it. Maybe you will encourage me enough to cook it myself at home.
Elizabeth, this dish sounds too simple to be true! Like you, I’m thinking don’t you have to add water? I’ve included this post in my weekly round up but more importantly, I’m going to buy octopus from my fishmonger today and making this dish for dinner.
I really love the simplicity of this.
I made octopus this way the other night (except without the oil).
As you said, and my brother told me that a lot of liquid would come out and you simply cook the occy in that.
No liquid came out of mine at all. I used a very hot pan and kept shaking it around so the pan wouldn’t burn….did this for about eight minutes until I finally put in a bit of water and cooked in that.
It turned out great. But I asked the chef at my local Italian restaurant about the liquid thing.
He said the occy I bought had probably been cleaned with fresh water and therefore…too cleaned.
The next time I buy occy, I will clean it myself which I believe is easy, thereby preserving any of the juice producing stuff.
Lisa R
Odd. Are you sure the octopus was not precooked? Did you buy it fresh? Or was it frozen? I’d need to know more to help.
I always prepare it this way 🙂 it’s like steaming in it’s own liquid until enough is drained to cook it, tastes very fresh and you get the full flavour
Serve the liquid over spaghetti. Add a little crushed red pepper when cooking and a good amount of evoo with the garlic ( it has a great flavor if you let the garlic get color before adding the raw octopus) If it’s too salty from swimming in the ocean as I have found in the past, Cook the pasta in unsalted water and finish the pasta in the Octopus juice adding pasta water as you go. The starch from the pasta makes it nice. It doesn’t get any better. Thanks for sharing my grandparents recipe. They were from Naples.