Octopus with Bay Leaves and Red Pepper
Instructions:
- 1 2/ 3 pounds octopus, cleaned (750 g)
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 bay leaves, or more, to taste
- 2 dried peperoncini, or more to taste, broken into pieces
- Oregano
- As with so many Italian recipes, the flavor of this dish improves after a day. The octopus is also good with drinks at aperitivo time. Serve in bite-size pieces, with toothpicks on the side, and accompany with small squares of Italian bread
- Check that the octopus has been cleaned properly. Wash it in cold water and drain. (In the unlikely event that you have fished the octopus yourself, you probably already know that you must beat the meat for several minutes with a wooden bat to tenderize it.)
- Put the octopus in a pan that closes hermetically, without water, and cook over low heat. After 30 minutes, test the octopus with a kitchen needle. If necessary, continue cooking until the octupus is tender, adding a very small amount of water only if it seems too dry.
- When the octopus is ready, remove it from the heat and pour on the vinegar. Let cool, then cut into bite-size pieces. Arrange the octopus in layers in a container, dressing each layer with olive oil, bay leaves, peperoncini, and oregano. Cover and refrigerate for up to several days. Let return to cool room temperature before serving.