Sauce with baby octopus to dress pasta or rice and even, as I did today, to accompany a steaming polenta. I cooked it in the electric pressure cooker because it is really convenient for this type of preparation: it cooks by itself and does not release steam or odor. The sauce with baby octopus is a tasty and flavorful condiment that, used a little more generously, turns a first course into a complete dish. We have less and less time to spend in the kitchen and a one-dish meal is really a “solve-lunch-and-dinner-in-a-few-minutes” and with few worries.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Instant pot, Pressure cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 1 lb 5 oz baby octopus (frozen)
- 1 onion (large)
- 1 clove garlic (fresh)
- 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- pinch dried oregano
- Half glass dry white wine
- 1 1/4 cups tomato purée (passata)
- to taste salt
Tools
- 1 Instant pot
- 1 Knife
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Cutting board
- 1
Steps
For this condiment use small frozen octopus, so first let them thaw as suggested by the manufacturer. When they are almost completely thawed, soak them in salted water for a few minutes and then drain them well.
Peel the onion and slice it thinly, place it in the electric pressure cooker with the minced garlic clove (if you don’t like it, leave it whole) and the extra virgin olive oil. Also add a generous pinch of dried oregano.
Set the cooking to Sauté (Less) and let the onion become golden, stirring often with a wooden spoon. It will take about ten minutes.
When the onion is well softened, add the tomato purée and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the baby octopus. Bring the sauce back to a boil and then pour in the half glass of dry white wine.
Stir well, close the lid of the cooker, make sure the steam release valve is closed and set the cooking.
The baby octopus sauce should cook for about twenty minutes at High Pressure, Normal.
After the cooking time has elapsed, release the steam by opening the valve, open the cooker and add to the sauce a tablespoon of chopped parsley.
I recommend
It is better to consume the sauce within 24 hours; having used frozen mollusks they should not be kept longer.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use regular octopus to prepare this sauce?
Of course, cut it into pieces before cooking it in the tomato sauce.
Can I use a traditional pressure cooker?
Certainly, use the same method and cooking times for the sauce with baby octopus to dress pasta or rice. Be a little more generous with the wine because a traditional pressure cooker releases steam during cooking and you will need more liquid.
And in a regular pot on the stove?
No problem in this case either, let the sauce simmer covered for about half an hour, preferably without opening the lid of the saucepan.
