Sauce with baby octopus to dress pasta or even rice and, as I did today, to accompany steaming polenta. I cooked it in the electric pressure cooker because it is really convenient for this type of preparation; it cooks on its own and does not release steam or odor. The sauce with baby octopus is a tasty and flavorful dressing, which, added in slightly larger quantities, transforms a first course into a complete meal. We always have less time to dedicate to cooking, and a complete meal is really a “solvelunchdinnerinminutes” with few thoughts.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Instant pot, Pressure cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 21.16 oz baby octopus (frozen)
- 1 onion (large)
- 1 clove garlic (fresh)
- 1.41 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch dried oregano
- Half glass dry white wine
- 10.58 oz tomato passata
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Instant pot
- 1 Knife
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Cutting board
- 1
Steps
For this sauce, use small frozen octopuses, so first, thaw them as the manufacturer suggests. When they are almost completely thawed, soak them in water and salt for a few minutes and then drain them well.
Clean the onion and slice it thin, put it inside the electric pressure cooker with the chopped garlic clove (if you don’t like it, leave it whole) and the extra virgin olive oil. Add a generous pinch of dried oregano.
Set the cooking to Sauté Less and let the onion turn golden, stirring often with a wooden spoon. It will take about ten minutes.
When the onion is well softened, add the tomato sauce and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the baby octopus. Bring the sauce back to a boil and then pour half a glass of dry white wine.
Stir well, close the pot lid, ensure the vent valve is closed, and set the cooking.
The baby octopus sauce should cook for about twenty minutes on High Pressure, Normal.
Once the set cooking time has elapsed, let the steam out by opening the valve, open the pot, and add to the sauce a tablespoon of chopped parsley.
My Recommendation
It’s better to consume the sauce within 24 hours since frozen mollusks were used and should not be stored longer.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I also use octopus to make this sauce?
Sure, cut it into pieces before cooking it in the tomato sauce.
Can I use a traditional pressure cooker?
Absolutely, use the same settings and cooking times. Be a bit more generous with the wine because the traditional pressure cooker releases steam during cooking, and more liquids will be needed.
What about in a normal pot on the stove?
No problem in this case either, let the sauce cook covered for about half an hour, preferably without opening the casserole lid.
