Pulpo a la Gallega (Galician-Style Octopus)

La storia di questo piatto

Pulpo a la Gallega is the dish of Galicia's fairs and harbour-side tables, where the Atlantic arrives on a wooden plate and smoked paprika is its signature. Here the sea and the earth meet in the simplest of company: octopus, potato, olive oil, salt.

Ingredienti

• 1200 g Octopus (fresh, or frozen for 24 hours and thawed in the refrigerator)
• 800 g Floury yellow potatoes
• 10 g Coarse sea salt (for the potatoes)
• 6 g Coarse sea salt (finishing, at service)
• 12 g Pimentón de la Vera (sweet or hot, to taste)
• 100 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 piece Cork (optional, according to tradition)
• 5 liters Water for boiling the octopus (unsalted)
• 200 g Galician bread or rustic bread (to accompany)

Preparazione

1. Rinse the octopus under cold running water, rubbing the suckers with your fingers to remove sand and impurities. Octopus frozen for 24 hours and then slowly thawed in the refrigerator (12-24 hours) becomes more tender, because freezing breaks the fibers; if it is fresh, you can freeze it yourself in advance or tenderize it with a meat mallet. No need to salt it.
2. Bring 5 liters of unsalted water to a boil in a large pot (at least 8 liters). Hold the octopus by the head and perform the "asustada" (fright): dip it into and out of the boiling water 3 times, 3-5 seconds each time. The tentacles curl and the skin sets, so it won't peel off during cooking. On the third time, leave it in, add the cork if desired (according to Galician tradition it is said to make the meat more tender, though it is not necessary), and lower the heat to a gentle, barely perceptible simmer.
3. Cook the octopus at a gentle simmer for 50-60 minutes, until a fork or knife tip slides easily into the thickest part of the tentacles. Turn off the heat, cover, and let the octopus rest in its cooking water for 10-15 minutes: it finishes softening and stays juicy.
4. Meanwhile, starting the cooking together with the octopus, cook the whole potatoes with their skins in a separate pot, covered with cold water and 10 g of salt, for 35-40 minutes from the boil, until a fork passes through without resistance. Alternatively, for a more intense flavor, cook them in the octopus water after removing it. Drain, let them cool slightly, then peel and slice them into rounds about 1 cm thick.
5. Remove the octopus with a slotted spoon and drain it. With kitchen scissors (or a sharp knife) cut the tentacles into rounds of 1-1.5 cm, slightly on the bias; the head can be cut into strips. The octopus should still be warm.
6. Arrange the still-warm potatoes, slightly overlapping, on a wooden platter (or serving dish), and place the octopus pieces on top. Season with coarse salt (about 1.5 g per serving), pimentón (about 3 g per serving, sweet, hot, or a mix of both), and extra virgin olive oil at room temperature (about 25 ml per serving), drizzled over. Serve immediately, with Galician bread, while the octopus is still warm.