I read an article some time ago about the giant octopi that live in Puget Sound, knowing that we would eventually be moving to Seattle, I got really excited by the prospect of being able to find fresh octopus at the market. I asked the fish monger at Central Market in Mill Creek, where we are staying now, if it was possible to find uncooked fresh octopus and his answer was no. They don’t fish for octopus, there obviously isn’t enough demand for it here, but rumor has it the Sound is teaming with octopi, my hope is to figure out a way to get my hands on some fresh ones.

Hopefully I will find them by the time our furniture and all of my precious pots and pans, knives, wooden spoons and cutting boards arrive, hopefully I will have found my source for local octopus by then. I can’t wait to get back in the kitchen again, to no longer have to work with one individual frying pan, plastic spoons and electric coils for cooking, soon enough my friends, soon enough. In the meantime I will drool over the thought of this pasta with these gorgeous little polipetti. My daughter may cry at the sight of them, I hope she will continue to love octopus now that she won’t be eating it as often.

Spaghetti con polipetti

• 1 pound of small octopus, cleaned
• 2 15 oz cans of tomato sauce
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 glass of white wine
• 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb of spaghetti
• salt to taste

Rinse the octopi and separate the heads from the bodies.

Heat oil in a deep skillet or a wide saucepan over medium heat and add whole cloves of garlic. When the garlic starts to simmer, add octopus, stir to absorb the oil and when the liquid that the octopus releases starts to evaporate add the white wine. Once the wine has evaporated add the tomato and cook at a medium-low temperature for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, fill a large pot with water for the pasta. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once the water starts to boil for the pasta add a small handful of salt to the water and bring to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.

When the pasta is perfectly al dente, turn up the heat on the sauce and drain the pasta. Without shaking all of the water out of the colander pour the pasta into the pan and toss it with the sauce. This allows for the pasta to cook a little longer in the sauce and to absorb the flavor. Serve immediately.

One Year Ago: Ricotta and Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Two Years Ago: Orecchiette nelle ‘Nchiosce & Moscardini-Polipi agli Agrumi

Three Years Ago: Farfalle alla Primavera, Spaghetti alla Chittara con Cicoria e Paté di Olive, Spaghetti con le Cozze e Pomodori Freschi & Pranzo di Ferragosto

Four Years Ago: Grilled Bread Salad, Amatriciana with fresh tomatoes, Herb Marinated Kebabs & Cherry Clafouti

Five Years Ago: Pizza Bianca with Fresh Figs and Prosciutto Crudo & Sweet Pea Pesto

Six Years Ago: Pasta all’Insalata Caprese, Grilled Lemon-Balsamic Asparagus, Zucchini and Ricotta Pie, Melanzane al Funghetto & Risotto with Zucchini and Saffron

~ by italicious on August 16, 2015.

Posted in garlic, octopus, pasta, primi, Puglia, tomato sauce, tomatoes
Tags: baby ostopus, octopus, pasta, seafood, spaghetti