Polpo alla Luciana (Italian Stewed Octopus)

Name: Polpo alla Luciana (Italian Stewed Octopus)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Octopus (already gutted) 1.8 lbs; Cherry tomatoes 2 cups; Tomato purée 2.1 cups; Gaeta olives pitted 1.8 oz; Salted capers 1 oz; Garlic 4 cloves; Parsley to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Lactose Free
Gluten Free

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Serving: 4 persone
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

Polpo alla Luciana (Italian Stewed Octopus)

Polpo alla Luciana is a typical recipe from Campania that takes its name from the fishing village of Santa Lucia, near Naples: specialized in catching octopus, the so-called "luciani" used to cook it gently in tomato sauce to make it tender and succulent. The sauce flavored with garlic, olives, and capers is not only great for mopping up with bread but also for seasoning pasta, as in the recipe for Spaghetti alla Luciana! The secret of this simple recipe lies in the octopus's own water released during cooking, making it unnecessary to add extra liquids. Ideal also with braised baby octopus or musky octopus, Luciana-style octopus is a delicious main course that can also be transformed into an irresistible seafood appetizer served on crusty bread!

Discover also these tasty octopus recipes, traditional and not:

Stewed octopus
Greek-style octopus
Drunken octopus
Galician-style octopus
Gourmet fried octopus
Octopus meatballs

INGREDIENTS: Octopus 1.8 lbs (800 g) - (already gutted); Cherry tomatoes 2 cups (300 g); Tomato purée 2.1 cups (500 g); Gaeta olives 1.8 oz (50 g) - pitted; Salted capers 1 oz (25 g); Garlic 4 cloves; Parsley to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Polpo alla Luciana (Italian Stewed Octopus)

To prepare polpo alla Luciana, first heat a swirl of oil with the garlic cloves in a saucepan 1, then add the whole cherry tomatoes 2 and the tomato puree 3.

Add the olives 4 and the desalted capers 5, then place the whole octopus in the pan 6.

Cover with the lid 7 and let it simmer for about 40 minutes. After this time, check that it can be easily pierced with a fork 8, then remove the octopus and set it aside. Continue to cook the sauce over medium heat for another 10-15 minutes 9.

In the meantime, clean the octopus by removing the beak 10 and eyes 11. Put the octopus back in the reduced sauce and transfer everything to a serving plate. Garnish with chopped parsley 12 and serve the polpo alla Luciana with slices of bread!

How to store

Polpo alla Luciana can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Tips

If you like it spicy, you can add 1-2 fresh chili peppers along with the garlic. The combination of cherry tomatoes and tomato puree results in a dense and rich consistency.

If you prefer a thicker sauce that is ideal for pasta, you can use only the puree; otherwise, you can opt for just the tomatoes or canned tomatoes for a more rustic sauce, perfect for mopping up with bread!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.