Braised Octopus with Paprika and Linguine
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium onions, 2 chopped into ½-inch dice, 1 thinly sliced
- 3 celery stalks, chopped into ¼-inch dice
- 9 garlic cloves, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups dry red wine
- ½ cup ouzo (substitute Pernod if ouzo is unavailable)
- 1 cup canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Turkish pepper, such as Aleppo
- 3 pounds fresh or frozen (thawed) whole small octopus, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon anise seeds
- ½ cup paprika, preferably Spanish
- ½ pound dried linguine
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges
Instructions:
If you want to grill or sauté octopus, you need to boil it first.
- Heat ¼ cup of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or braising pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions, celery, and two-thirds of the chopped garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables start to brown, about 7 minutes.
- Add the wine, ouzo, plum tomatoes and their juice, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons of the oregano, and 1 tablespoon of the Turkish pepper. Add the octopus, season with salt and pepper, and enough water to come halfway up the octopus. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover with foil, pressing it down so it just touches the octopus, then cover with a lid. Braise until tender but not mushy, about 1 hour. The point of a knife should easily penetrate the mantle, the area where the head joins the body. The skin will also start breaking apart and sliding off the body. Remove the octopus from the pot and set aside.
- Strain the braising liquid, discarding the solids. Return the strained liquid to the pot and boil until it is reduced to 1 cup. Remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile, cut the head off the octopus, then cut the head in half. Peel away the gelatinous lining inside the head and discard. Divide the individual tentacles. Toss the octopus pieces in a bowl with the lemon zest, anise seeds, 1 tablespoon of the paprika, and the remaining 1 teaspoon oregano. Cover and set aside.
- Heat the remaining ¼ cup olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and the remaining garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they start to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the octopus and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining 1 teaspoon Turkish pepper and 7 tablespoons paprika, and cook until aromatic, about 3 minutes.
- Add the reduced braising liquid and heat through. If the liquid seems too thin to serve as a sauce for pasta, continue cooking until it thickens slightly. Keep warm.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add the linguine and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, add to the sauce, and toss with the parsley. Divide into warm bowls. Garnish each serving with a lemon wedge.