Also called Polpo Alla Luciana—the Neapolitan neighbourhood where this dish originates—Polpo Affogato is a delightful way of slowly cooking octopus to tenderness in a fragrant mix of garlic, capers, olives, and tomatoes. It is best served with crusty sourdough bread to mop up the sauce or with crushed boiled potatoes. Chefs pro tip: freeze your octopus first to achieve perfect tenderness.
Ingredients for 4:
- 1 octopus (about 1kg), thawed overnight in the fridge
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Handful of olives
- 200g baby tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon of capers
- 1 tablespoon of olives
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 100ml white wine, optional
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 fresh chilli, thinly sliced
- 1/2 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
- Sea salt, to taste
Instructions:
1. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic cloves and cook until they become transparent.
2. Rinse the octopus and slice it into pieces. Add the octopus to the pan and cook, turning it a couple of times. Once it turns reddish, deglaze with wine or a splash of water. Add the tomatoes and another splash of water, then cover and cook for about 25 minutes. Check occasionally and add more water if it dries out.
3. Add the olives, capers, chili, and parsley. Continue cooking until the octopus is tender, about 15 more minutes depending on its size. If the sauce dries out, add a little more water.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt to taste. Plate the octopus stew, drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil, and serve with crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
5. Enjoy!
