Spaghetti With Octopus Braised In Red Wine
Published September 7, 1999
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
Salt to taste
2 medium octopuses, about 12 ounces each, cut in half the long way
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups dry red wine
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound spaghetti or linguine
2 tablespoons butter
16 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
½ cup roughly chopped basil
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
66 grams carbs; 65 milligrams cholesterol; 617 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 20 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 848 milligrams sodium; 28 grams protein; 5 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet or saute pan, and turn heat to medium-high. Add carrot, onion and celery. Sprinkle with pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Step 2
Add octopus, along with some pepper and a little more salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, and then add wine, bay leaf and garlic. Cook until octopus is tender, for about 1 hour (check with point of sharp knife). Remove octopus, and cut into bite-size pieces. Return octopus to skillet, and turn heat to a minimum.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to boil, and salt it. Fifteen minutes before eating, begin cooking pasta. When it is barely tender but not nearly tender enough to eat, drain it, reserving about 1 cup cooking liquid. Add pasta to octopus mixture, with half the reserved liquid. Cook until pasta is tender but not mushy; add remaining liquid if needed to keep mixture from drying out.
- Step 4
Add remaining olive oil, along with butter, cherry tomatoes and basil. Stir until butter melts, and then serve.
Private Notes
Comments
How could you know it was 'clearly inedible' after 30 mins of cooking - when the recipe clearly states at least 60 mins of cooking are required to tenderise the octopus? Don't like pink/purple octopus (as coloured by red wine), perhaps?
Excellent recipie! The baby octopus I had took about 70 mins to become tender- on a low heat. I added 80 g of chopped red pepper with the rest of the mirepoix (80g Celery, 80 g Carrot, 100g Onion), and some dried herbs with the wine. The octopus was extremely fresh, as were the tomatoes and basil (from my garden), and the Linguine was homemade. I also added 1 tbsp (NOT 4- far too much oil!) of chili and garlic oil instead of plain olive oil to the pasta, and 3tbsp of butter (not 2). Delicious!
I’m a fan of octopus having a home in Portugal but living in the Pacific NW. I bought 2lbs of frozen baby octopus for this recipe and adapted. Octopus almost always requires an hour on low simmer- more if your fishing trip brings you an 8 pound monster. Tips of knife tenderness test always works. This recipe was we’ll put together and we enjoyed the red wine and fennel and tomatoes with the sauce made with bucatini to match the texture of the octopus. Very nice to know some alternative ways.
Excellent recipie! The baby octopus I had took about 70 mins to become tender- on a low heat. I added 80 g of chopped red pepper with the rest of the mirepoix (80g Celery, 80 g Carrot, 100g Onion), and some dried herbs with the wine. The octopus was extremely fresh, as were the tomatoes and basil (from my garden), and the Linguine was homemade. I also added 1 tbsp (NOT 4- far too much oil!) of chili and garlic oil instead of plain olive oil to the pasta, and 3tbsp of butter (not 2). Delicious!
This recipe is delicious. You have to trust it and go for it, but it is great.