Strozzapreti pasta with octopus sauce

To make the strozzapreti with octopus sauce, start by preparing the octopus by cleaning it (for details, see our cooking tutorial: How to clean octopus) and heating up a pot full of salted water. Identify the octopus’ beak and, using a small knife with a sharp blade, make an incision around it so that it you can scoop it out 1. Next, remove the eyes by cutting across the front of the head 2. Then rinse the octopus well under plenty of fresh water, taking care to rub all over its skin, including the tentacles, using your hands, to remove the sticky part 3.

By now, the water in the pot will be boiling: Holding the octopus by the head, dip the tentacles into the boiling water. Repeat this step 4-5 times 4; this way, the tentacles will curl up and make your dish look nicer. Next, immerse the octopus completely. Add the bay leaf, juniper berries, garlic clove (slightly crushed), and the pink peppercorns 5, and cover with a lid. Leave to cook over medium heat for 35-40 minutes. When it’s almost done, you can check the consistency and doneness of the octopus using a toothpick or the prongs of a fork. Once cooked, drain using a skimmer 6.

Transfer to a strainer to drain the excess water and let it cool 7. Place it carefully on a chopping board and cut it in half to make it easier to prepare 8. Cut the ends off the tentacles to keep the curled shape, then chop the rest of the tentacles into equal-sized pieces 9. Set the chopped octopus aside.

Next, prepare the other ingredients for the octopus sauce. Wash the cherry tomatoes well and cut into four wedges 10, then set aside. Then finely dice the celery, carrot, and onion, peel the garlic and cut in half 11. In a non-stick pan with high sides, brown the garlic in the oil 12. Once the garlic has turned golden, take it out.

Now brown the celery, carrot, and onion 13. Stir the ingredients to keep them from sticking to the pan. Add the chopped octopus 14 and cook for 2-3 minutes over moderate heat. Be sure to keep stirring to keep everything from sticking. Next, add the cherry tomatoes 15.

Also add the tomato puree 16 and leave to cook over very low heat for 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, boil the pasta in a pot full of salted water 17. By the time the pasta is done, the octopus sauce will be ready, too 18. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Drain the al dente pasta and pour straight into the pot with the sauce 19, mixing everything well so the pasta absorbs the sauce 20. Finally, plate up your strozzapreti pasta with octopus sauce, decorating if you like with the curled tentacle pieces 21 and fresh parsley!