PASTA WITH BABY OCTOPUSES
A delicious and satisfying seafood dish just like only Neapolitans can make: SPAGHETTI with BABY OCTOPUSES, one of the variations of the more famous PASTA with OCTOPUS alla LUCIANA!
Like all traditional recipes, especially the seafood ones, there are different variations: you can make them with either true octopus or baby octopus as the flavor changes very little. Some use tomato puree, while others prefer fresh tomatoes, some use a ‘ton’ of shellfish, others a bit less.
Whichever recipe you choose to follow, one thing is certain: you’ll bring to the table a dish worthy of a standing ovation, a delight that fears no comparison, and everyone will ask for seconds.
The recipe for preparing PASTA with BABY OCTOPUSES presents no difficulties other than cleaning the shellfish, which you can avoid by buying frozen ones or having the fishmonger clean them for you, alternatively cleaning the Baby Octopuses at home is easy and quick, and you’ll find the tutorial at the end of the recipe.
And if also the preparation of the Baby Octopus sauce requires a bit of a long cooking time (about 50 mins that reduce to 20 with the pressure cooker) consider that it can be considered a one-dish meal due to the presence of the shellfish, so in the end, it takes less time than preparing a first and second course.
It also has the further advantage: it can even be a leftover dish. Why? If you follow the recipe for Preparing Baby Octopus alla Luciana, you can serve them just as a second course accompanied with slices of toasted bread and freeze any leftovers for later to dress the pasta.
Are you ready to see the Baby Octopus with Pasta recipe together? Follow me and at the end, you’ll also find all the tips for executing it perfectly. The result will be a perfect masterpiece for both a family lunch or dinner with friends.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 280.25 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 32.42 (g) of which sugars 0.48 (g)
- Proteins 23.73 (g)
- Fat 3.88 (g) of which saturated 0.67 (g)of which unsaturated 1.94 (g)
- Fibers 2.60 (g)
- Sodium 756.04 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 110 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 11 oz pasta
- 1 bunch parsley
- to taste black pepper (ground, optional)
- 1.1 lbs baby octopuses
- 1.25 cups tomato puree
- 1.5 oz Gaeta olives (pitted)
- A few salted capers (desalted)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 dried chili pepper
- 0.4 cups dry white wine
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch fine salt
Tools
- Frying Pan
- Pot
HOW TO PREPARE PASTA WITH BABY OCTOPUSES
TIP BEFORE STARTING: WHICH BABY OCTOPUSES TO BUY AND HOW TO CLEAN THEM
This recipe can be prepared with either fresh or frozen baby octopuses. If you choose the frozen product, I recommend getting the tiny octopuses that don’t require cleaning: just thaw them under a stream of hot water, and you can immediately start the recipe. If you’re using fresh baby octopuses, have them cleaned by your fishmonger, but if that’s not possible, do it at home; it’s very easy. To do it, you need to remove the beak and eyes with a sharp knife, then remove the entrails from the sac by pulling it out with your hands, and finally rinse them under running water.
Place a swirl of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan and sauté the crushed garlic and chopped fresh chili pepper, previously deseeded, for a minute. Add the cleaned baby octopuses (if they are particularly large, cut them into rings) and brown over low heat for 2 minutes: you will see the tentacles curl up. At this point, increase the heat and deglaze with the white wine.
Lower the heat, pour the tomato puree, and add the pitted olives and desalted capers. Stir, cover, and continue cooking over low heat for about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should become thick and not too liquid. Cooking times obviously vary according to the size of the baby octopuses. If towards the end of the cooking time the sauce dries out too much, you can add a little water.
During the final minutes of cooking the baby octopus sauce, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, cook the chosen pasta shape (I use spaghetti) and drain it al dente. Pour it directly into the Baby Octopus alla Luciana sauce, stir, and sauté in the pan for a couple of minutes. Plate and garnish as desired with fresh chopped parsley and/or ground black pepper. Enjoy your meal!
STORAGE
Once this first dish of Baby Octopuses with Pasta (I put them first because there must be a lot!) is ready, it should be consumed immediately while still hot. Alternatively, you can prepare the Baby Octopus alla Luciana sauce in advance: it keeps in a jar in the fridge for 1 day.
COOKING THE BABY OCTOPUS SAUCE FOR PASTA IN THE PRESSURE COOKER
If you don’t have the time or desire to cook the Baby Octopus sauce using the traditional method (stovetop), the pressure cooker can be a valid alternative to cook this baby octopus sauce in less time. To prepare the Baby Octopus alla Luciana sauce in the pressure cooker, after obviously cleaning the baby octopuses, you need to put in the pressure cooker the crushed garlic, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, the tomato puree, the pitted olives, the desalted capers, and the chili pepper. Mix everything and add the baby octopuses, then close the pressure cooker and cook for 20 minutes over moderate heat, starting from the whistle. After the time has elapsed, release the valve, remove the lid gently, and the baby octopus sauce is ready to welcome your favorite pasta shape.
TIPS
The cooking time for the baby octopus sauce can vary based on the size of the shellfish. Add salt sparingly because baby octopuses, olives, and capers are already quite savory.
CURIOSITY
It seems that the recipe for OCTOPUS (and baby octopuses) alla LUCIANA originated precisely in the village of Santa Lucia, hence their typical name. Where the locals, mostly fishermen, would return home with a nice freshly caught octopus and beat it on the rocks to tenderize the meat, they would usually cook it stewed in terracotta, obtaining with a single dish a tasty and tender octopus and a very fragrant sauce for the pasta.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
HOW MANY TYPES OF BABY OCTOPUSES ARE THERE?
There are two species of baby octopuses, one more prized, the ‘Eledone moschata’, also known as Musk Octopus for its characteristic musky scent, and it is cooked like octopus, and one called White Baby Octopus (Eledone cirrhosa) with less tender meat that is usually floured and fried.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BABY OCTOPUSES AND OCTOPUSES?
Actually, baby octopuses, which belong to the cephalopod mollusk family, are similar in meat to octopuses but distinguish themselves by smaller size, lighter color, and especially the tentacles! Baby octopuses have a single row of suction cups on the tentacles, while octopuses have two rows of suction cups on each tentacle.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE IF THE SHELLFISH ARE FRESH
Like with fish, the eyes of shellfish are the mirror of truth! Baby octopuses or any other shellfish should have a bright color, the tentacles should be perfectly attached to the body, the eyes should be shiny and lively, not dull and lifeless, and especially the smell, while ‘fishy’, should be fresh and pleasant.
HOW TO CLEAN BABY OCTOPUSES
If you have purchased small fresh baby octopuses (up to 0.8 inches) you can safely just wash them without cleaning. If they are larger, they will need to be gutted and cleaned, but don’t panic, it’s not difficult at all. How to clean baby octopuses? First, you need to turn the head sack inside out without detaching the tentacles, remove the entrails, and then rinse under water. Turn the sack back, and remove with scissors the eyes and beak located at the center of the tentacles. Finally, remove the skin by peeling it off, it will just need to be pulled off forcefully. Now your baby octopuses are ready to be cooked.
