I first encountered octopus as a child, on a trip to Greece where a local fisherman was luring them with bait from the shore.
I've been fascinated by this cephalopod ever since. Octopus is ultimately derived from Ancient Greek ὀκτώπους (oktṓpous) but it arrives in English in the 18th Century via Modern Latin. As a result, the plural forms derived from English (octopuses) Latin (octopi or octopii) and Greek (octopodes) are all considered acceptable, though purists might go for the Greek octopodes as the correct form.
It is a mollusc (related to snails) of the order Octopoda (octopus is actually reserved for those members of the order eaten as food).
Anyway, enough of the science and English lesson. On with the food... I was in the fish market in Durban over the weekend and they had these wonderful octopuses (octopodes) on ice there. Obviously freshly caught they were crying out to be taken home and cooked. I decided to use these african molluscs to cook an Italian inspired dish (pasta bake) that has become almost synonymous with the use of tuna. But why not use octopus instead?
Now, octopus can get tough and leathery, which is why many people are put off. You either have to cook it very lightly, or (as here) you need to cook sufficiently long for the octopus to thoroughly soften.
2 x 400g (1 lb) octopuses, cleaned (or use frozen if you can't get fresh)
2 large onions, finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 fresh chilli (your choice) but I used a red Scotch bonnet
175ml (3/4 cup) red wine
300ml (1 1/4 cups) warm water
300ml (1 1/4 cups) boiling water
3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
150ml (2/3 cup) olive oil
2 bay leaves (I used Indian bay leaves, but European bay will work just as well)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 piece of cinnamon stick
3 allspice (pimenton) grains
2 tbsp tomato purée blended until smooth with 300ml (1 1/4 cups) water
225g (8oz) penne (quill) pasta
freshly-ground black pepper
Sprinkle the olive oil over the octopus pieces then sauté gently for 4 minutes. At this point add the onion slices and sauté gently for a further 4 minutes, stirring constantly, or until the onion pieces turn a golden brown.
At this point stir in the garlic, chilli, bayleaves, oregano, cinnamon stick and allspice. Stir-fry until the garlic becomes aromatic (1–2 minutes) then pour in the wine, bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
Pour in the tomato mixture, season well with black pepper, cover the pot and allow to cook gently for 90 minutes, or until the octopus pieces are perfectly tender. Stir-occasionally during the cooking time and add a little water, as necessary.
Uncover the octopus mixture, bring to a boil then add the boiling water. Stir in the pasta ensuring that it is coated in the sauce mixture.
Cover, transfer to an oven and bake for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little hot water, as needed (ie if the mixture begins to look a little dry). Remove from the oven, sprinkle parsley over the top and serve.
I've been fascinated by this cephalopod ever since. Octopus is ultimately derived from Ancient Greek ὀκτώπους (oktṓpous) but it arrives in English in the 18th Century via Modern Latin. As a result, the plural forms derived from English (octopuses) Latin (octopi or octopii) and Greek (octopodes) are all considered acceptable, though purists might go for the Greek octopodes as the correct form.
It is a mollusc (related to snails) of the order Octopoda (octopus is actually reserved for those members of the order eaten as food).
Anyway, enough of the science and English lesson. On with the food... I was in the fish market in Durban over the weekend and they had these wonderful octopuses (octopodes) on ice there. Obviously freshly caught they were crying out to be taken home and cooked. I decided to use these african molluscs to cook an Italian inspired dish (pasta bake) that has become almost synonymous with the use of tuna. But why not use octopus instead?
Now, octopus can get tough and leathery, which is why many people are put off. You either have to cook it very lightly, or (as here) you need to cook sufficiently long for the octopus to thoroughly soften.
Octopus Pasta Bake Recipe
For this dish you need to cook in a pot that you can also place in the oven to finish the dish.
Ingredients:
2 x 400g (1 lb) octopuses, cleaned (or use frozen if you can't get fresh)2 large onions, finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 fresh chilli (your choice) but I used a red Scotch bonnet
175ml (3/4 cup) red wine
300ml (1 1/4 cups) warm water
300ml (1 1/4 cups) boiling water
3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
150ml (2/3 cup) olive oil
2 bay leaves (I used Indian bay leaves, but European bay will work just as well)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 piece of cinnamon stick
3 allspice (pimenton) grains
2 tbsp tomato purée blended until smooth with 300ml (1 1/4 cups) water
225g (8oz) penne (quill) pasta
freshly-ground black pepper
Method:
Cut the octopuses (octopodes) into large chunks (body and legs) then place in a pot over low heat. As they cook they will release enough liquid to cook in. Continue cooking, turning the pieces frequently until the flesh turns scarlet and all the liquid has been absorbed.Sprinkle the olive oil over the octopus pieces then sauté gently for 4 minutes. At this point add the onion slices and sauté gently for a further 4 minutes, stirring constantly, or until the onion pieces turn a golden brown.
At this point stir in the garlic, chilli, bayleaves, oregano, cinnamon stick and allspice. Stir-fry until the garlic becomes aromatic (1–2 minutes) then pour in the wine, bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
Pour in the tomato mixture, season well with black pepper, cover the pot and allow to cook gently for 90 minutes, or until the octopus pieces are perfectly tender. Stir-occasionally during the cooking time and add a little water, as necessary.
Uncover the octopus mixture, bring to a boil then add the boiling water. Stir in the pasta ensuring that it is coated in the sauce mixture.
Cover, transfer to an oven and bake for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little hot water, as needed (ie if the mixture begins to look a little dry). Remove from the oven, sprinkle parsley over the top and serve.
octopus, wine, pasta, baking, pasta bake, mediterranean
Seafood
Fusion
Octopus Pasta Bake
https://fabulousfusionfood.blogspot.com/2019/04/octopus-pasta-bake-recipe.html
Octopus Pasta Bake. This is a Fusion recipe for a Mediterranean-inspired pasta bake of octopus and penne pasta in a red wine and tomato paste sauce flavoured with onions. Why not give this a try instead of your usual tuna pasta bake?
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Rh-H6COYDr1EK-JMkC1kUZLiXuWOdiq2xO5hxMduLHOioQ-yftml0NgJhlTgMBR58qHcVyiwm8AXb25A8oQ51VZo-gwj5TNMxPyfE_WzcXUEOIIrPmp2Yr9mzPaVGNtgu05cE8NS4tg/s1600/octopus-pasta-bake.png
2019-02-18
Yield: 4
Octopus Pasta Bake
Octopus Pasta Bake. This is a Fusion recipe for a Mediterranean-inspired pasta bake of octopus and penne pasta in a red wine and tomato paste sauce flavoured with onions. Why not give this a try instead of your usual tuna pasta bake?
prep time: 15 mins
cook time: 140 mins
total time: 155 mins
Ingredients:
- 2 x 400g (1 lb) octopuses, cleaned (or use frozen if you can't get fresh)
- 2 large onions, finely sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1 fresh chilli (your choice) but I used a red Scotch bonnet
- 175ml (3/4 cup) red wine
- 300ml (1 1/4 cups) warm water
- 300ml (1 1/4 cups) boiling water
- 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 150ml (2/3 cup) olive oil
- 2 bay leaves (I used Indian bay leaves, but European bay will work just as well)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 piece of cinnamon stick
- 3 allspice (pimenton) grains
- 2 tbsp tomato purée blended until smooth with 300ml (1 1/4 cups) water
- 225g (8oz) penne (quill) pasta
- freshly-ground black pepper
Method:
- Cut the octopuses (octopodes) into large chunks (body and legs) then place in a pot over low heat. As they cook they will release enough liquid to cook in. Continue cooking, turning the pieces frequently until the flesh turns scarlet and all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Sprinkle the olive oil over the octopus pieces then sauté gently for 4 minutes. At this point add the onion slices and sauté gently for a further 4 minutes, stirring constantly, or until the onion pieces turn a golden brown.
- At this point stir in the garlic, chilli, bayleaves, oregano, cinnamon stick and allspice. Stir-fry until the garlic becomes aromatic (1–2 minutes) then pour in the wine, bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the tomato mixture, season well with black pepper, cover the pot and allow to cook gently for 90 minutes, or until the octopus pieces are perfectly tender. Stir-occasionally during the cooking time and add a little water, as necessary.
- Uncover the octopus mixture, bring to a boil then add the boiling water. Stir in the pasta ensuring that it is coated in the sauce mixture.
- Cover, transfer to an oven and bake for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little hot water, as needed (ie if the mixture begins to look a little dry). Remove from the oven, sprinkle parsley over the top and serve.
© Dyfed Lloyd Evans
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