The octopus in piñata, lu purpu alla pinata (in the Apulian dialect) is a tasty and irresistible second course, typical of the Salento tradition. Its name derives from the pot in which it is prepared, the pignata: in this special terracotta pot, the octopus cooks together with its water, thus allowing it to release all its flavor directly into the tomato sauce. This technique ensures an extremely soft and flavourful octopus, perfect to enjoy with homemade bread to make the slipper.
Lu purpu alla pinata
Ingredients
- 2 kg of octopus
- 2 spring onions
- 400 g of peeled tomatoes
- 1 clove of garlic
- extra virgin olive oil, salt, chilli pepper, parsley to taste
Preparation
Clean the fresh spring onions and the garlic clove. Place them in the pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add a pinch of chilli. Add the peeled tomatoes and then the octopus to the saucepan. Cook over moderate heat for about 3 hours: if the sauce dries out too much, add half a glass of water from time to time during cooking.
Just before the octopus is ready, add the chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Taste and add salt if necessary. To check the cooking of the octopus, taste it: it should be tender and easy to chew. Once cooked, add more chopped parsley to taste and serve. Enjoy your meal!
Read also: Spaghetti with Cannavacciuolo octopus. My secret: what I rub the octopuses with well before cooking them, so they come out very tender
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