Octopus cooked in clay
- 500g ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tbsp of water
- 8 octopus, each about 150g, head left on but gutted and washed
This dish is best cooked in a terracotta pot wide enough to hold all the octopus comfortably without overlapping. Cast iron is the next best option.
Method
Place tomatoes, garlic, parsley and olive oil in pot. Add water, a couple of good pinches of salt and a few turns of pepper. Mix well with a spoon. Place octopus, head first, in mixture. Put pot onto a simmer mat or heat diffuser on a moderate flame and bring to boil. When it begins to bubble, cover octopus with oven paper and place lid on pot. Turn flame down to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Serve hot with cannellini or steamed green beans.
Serves 4
