Octopus is very popular in Greece and is cooked in many different ways. Perhaps everybody has seen the octopus hanging from a wire in front of a taverna by the seaside. It is usually roasted on coals and is accompanied by wine or ouzo! Today we will cook it in a spicy tomato sauce, and in the sauce we cook the pasta. Although it is served throughout the year, it is a favorite during Lent. A very easy one-pot dish!
Ingredients 1 octopus (fresh or frozen) about 1 kilo. (or baby octopuses) ½ cup olive oil 1 large onion chopped ½ cup white wine 1 – 2 cloves of garlic minced 1 bay leaf 1 cinnamon stick 3 – 4 cloves 1 good pinch allspice 3 – 4 dropsTabasco 2 – 3 ripe tomatoes chopped (or a can of shopped tomatoes) 1 teaspoon concentrated tomato paste 500 gr. small pasta (penne, elbow macaroni, ditali, farfalle or anything you like) Salt, pepper
Directions
First, clean the octopus by turning the hood inside out. Remove the contents of the sack and the mouth by pressing down on it. Wash it well and cut it up in bite-sized pieces.
Place the oil in a large pot and sauté the onion for a couple of minutes. Add the octopus and sauté for about 5 minutes more. Add the garlic and the spices and sauté for a couple of minutes and then the wine. When the wine has evaporated add the tomato and enough water to cover the octopus. Lower the heat and let it simmer until the octopus is soft. Turn up the heat and add more water (it depends on the water that is left in the pot, about 2 – 3 cups) and when it boils, add the pasta, salt and pepper. Be careful with the salt, because the octopus may be salty. Don’t forget to stir often, because the pasta tends to stick to the bottom of the pot. Turn the heat down to medium and boil for about 10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. There should be some sauce in the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve immediately with a nice, fresh green salad.