Hard 3.5 hours

DAVID ROCCO'S Braised Octopus in Tomato Sauce

Products used for this recipe

Ingredients

Octopus, 3lbs beak removed
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 60ml
Garlic, 2 cloves, thinly sliced
Capers, 60mls
Chilli Falkes
Fresh Red Chilli
Parsley, 1/2 bunch, stems removed, finely chopped
Passata, 750ml
NB, the Passata does not need salt as the octopus will release a lot of saltiness to flavour the sauce.
Pasta - Short Tubetti Style, 500g
* Salt only for the Pasta water,

Steps

Rinse your octopus under cold water and with a pairing knife remove the ‘black beak’ by carving out the crusty shell with the knife. In a large sauce pot and on high heat, add olive oil, garlic, capers, chilli flakes, fresh red chilli and parsley. Sauté for a few minutes all together and then add the octopus and passata and bring to a slight boil. Lower to medium heat and cook for 3 hours with lid on stirring every so often so the octopus doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. After 3 hours and remove the octopus from the sauce. Remove the tentacles from the body and set aside. Cut the body of the octopus into little pieces and put back into the sauce. In a large pot bring water to a boil, then salt and add pasta. Stir for the first few seconds and allow to cook. When the pasta is at the pre- al dente stage, strain the water reserving a cup of the pasta water. Add 2/3rds of the octopus sauce to the pot, add the pasta in and continue to cook until al dente. Use the reserved pasta water if necessary and finish cooking to al dente. Serve in pasta bowls dividing the pasta evenly along with the remaining sauce. Top each plate with the tentacles and serve immediately.

Chef's note

https://youtu.be/hPTU6v7TJ6c

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