Italian
Roast Octopus with Creamy Polenta
by Federico Fusca Chef · 332K subscribers on YouTube
Roast octopus, its pan juices, and above all the polenta. This is a dish that rocks. We stew the octopus and then roast it until crispy on the outside and buttery inside. The polenta is soft, creamy, the kind that makes you close your eyes at the first spoonful. A humble, true, direct dish. Sea and land meet without asking permission. No special effects: just technique, time, and respect for the ingredients.
- Difficulty
- easy
Ingredients
8 items- 1 kgOctopusfresh octopus, about 1 kg
- Extra Virgin Olive Oilfor the base, to coat the octopus, and for the polenta; as needed
- 2 pcsGarliccloves, in their skins
- 1 pcsFresh Chili Pepperfresh chili pepper, chopped
- Parsleya bunch
- Saltfor the polenta, to taste
- 150 gInstant Polentaquick-cooking polenta
- 600 mlWaterfor the polenta
Method
- Clean the octopus: remove the eyes and the beak, then rinse thoroughly.
- In a saucepan, sauté a generous drizzle of olive oil with 2 garlic cloves in their skins, 1 fresh chili pepper (chopped), and a bunch of parsley until fragrant.
- Add the whole octopus (about 1 kg) and cook covered for 45–50 minutes without adding any water; the octopus will release its own juices.
- Remove the octopus from the pan and set aside; strain the cooking juices and reduce them by one third until they become a creamy sauce.
- Cut the octopus into pieces (tentacles and head).
- Toss the octopus pieces with a little olive oil.
- Heat a cast-iron grill pan and grill the octopus pieces until crispy and charred.
- Meanwhile, prepare the polenta: bring 600 ml of water to a boil with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt.
- Gradually whisk in 150 g of instant polenta and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and creamy (about 5–10 minutes).
- To serve: spread the creamy polenta on a plate, top with the grilled octopus, and spoon over the reduced octopus pan sauce.
Federico Fusca Chef
Home cook332K subscribers on YouTube256.5M total channel viewsSono Federico Fusca. Cucina italiana godereccia, ignorante e senza compromessi🔥 Ricette vere, creme illegali e piatti che spaccano. 👉 Iscriviti se ami mangiare sul serio.
