It is an iconic dish of Neapolitan cuisine, originating from the seaside district of Santa Lucia. The recipe calls for slow cooking the octopus in its own liquid, together with tomatoes, olives, and capers, resulting in a rich and fragrant sauce. The outcome is an extremely tender octopus, wrapped in a tasty gravy perfect for dipping with bread. A simple dish yet full of Mediterranean tradition
Put plenty of extra-virgin olive oil in a large pan and sauté the garlic cloves
2
Add the crushed peeled tomatoes, the tomato passata, the olives, the capers, a bit of salt, and cook over medium heat
3
When the sauce begins to simmer, add the octopus and cook for 30 minutes over low heat with the lid on
4
Remove the octopus from the pan and cut it into pieces, removing the beak and eyes
5
Return the octopus pieces to the pan and continue cooking, uncovered, for another 20–25 minutes until very tender and the sauce has reduced
6
At the end of cooking, adjust the salt and add a bit of chopped parsley
Cost
The recipe has a medium cost: the main ingredient, octopus, varies in price according to size and season. Overall, it is an inexpensive dish when using a medium-sized octopus. The other ingredients are low-cost and easy to find
Health
It is a healthy and light dish: octopus is rich in lean protein and low in fat. The tomato and extra-virgin olive oil–based sauce provides antioxidants and healthy fats. With few calories and lots of flavor, it is suitable for those following a balanced diet
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