Ligurian octopus and potato salad

Making Ligurian octopus and potato salad

In fact, the most important detail of this recipe is the cook on the octopus: to prevent it from becoming rubbery you should cook it slowly and then allow it to cool in its own cooking water. This way the flesh will be nice and tender.

For perfectly cooked octopus consider a cooking time of about 30 minutes for every half kilo. But before you remove it from the heat remember to stick a fork into the central part of the octopus: if it goes in easily you can take it off the heat, if not keep cooking for another 10 minutes.

If you are using fresh rather than frozen octopus, immerse the tentacles in boiling water 4 or 5 times before cooking the octopus whole. Follow these tips and your octopus will be perfectly tender.

Let’s move onto preparing the Ligurian octopus with potatoes.

Start by thoroughly washing the octopus, then eliminate the beak at the center of the tentacles. Place the octopus in a large pan full of boiling water, add the bay leaves and cook for about 45 minutes. When the octopus is ready, remove from the heat and leave to cool in its cooking water.

Wash the potatoes thoroughly and boil in a pan with lots of water for about 25 minutes, until soft. Remove the potatoes from the pan, eliminate the skins and cut into slices.

Remove the octopus from the cooking water and delicately slice the head and the tentacles. Distribute the potatoes and the octopus on a serving plate, alternating them. Season the Ligurian octopus salad with a pinch of salt, some freshly milled black pepper, a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Fruttato, the Ligurian Taggiasca Olives in Brine and a sprinkling of chopped parsley. Your Ligurian octopus and potato salad is now ready and is equally good warm or cold.