Octopus and Potato Salad with Taggiasca Olives is a very easy recipe to prepare. You can make a seafood dish that will make your summer even fresher and more cheerful. The lightness of the octopus, combined with the soft, creamy texture of the potatoes and the bold, distinctive flavor of the black olives, makes this dish unbeatable in its simplicity and deliciousness. Pair it with a glass of chilled Garganega Brut.
Ingredients
– 1 kg of octopus – 2 medium potatoes – parsley – 1 clove of garlic – 2 tablespoons of pitted Taggiasca olives – extra virgin olive oil – cherry tomatoes – 1 lemon – pepper – salt
Preparation
Wash the octopus thoroughly under running water. In a pot, bring unsalted water to a boil—since the octopus already contains a lot of salt, adding more would risk making the dish too salty. When the water boils, add the octopus and let it cook for about an hour and a half, until it’s nice and tender. Be careful not to overcook it, or it will become tough. Once cooked, remove the octopus without draining the water and let it cool. When it’s lukewarm, start cleaning it. Using a knife, remove the suction cups and the skin until it’s completely white. At this point, cut it into small pieces and place it in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the extra virgin olive oil with the juice of half a lemon and a sprinkle of pepper, then toss the octopus with this mixture. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and dice them; boil them in the same water used to cook the octopus, this time adding a teaspoon of salt. When they’re ready, drain them and add them to the bowl with the octopus. Add the chopped parsley, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, the juice of half a lemon, and a clove of garlic. Only at the very end, add a handful of pitted Taggiasca olives and the cherry tomatoes. Place everything in the refrigerator and let it rest for 2–3 hours before serving. When you bring it to the table, give it another sprinkle of parsley and pepper and serve it with toasted bread.
From the menu at Sestante Castello, 4687 – Venice
