Linguine with Baby Octopus alla Luciana
A very simple and tasty first course with a sea flavor. Linguine (or spaghetti) is served with a fresh and quick sauce made with baby octopus “alla Luciana”, a recipe originating from the Santa Lucia neighborhood in Naples – a fisherman’s quarter – known as “luciani” because of their reputation for catching true octopus.
Linguine with Baby Octopus alla Luciana is a seafood first course, easy, quick and economical, as it can also serve as a main dish
Ideal to prepare both in summer and at Christmas/New Year.
Basically, linguine with baby octopus alla Luciana is a light and low-calorie seafood dish
An unmissable recipe: healthy, economical and light.
This dish is among my TOP recipes, for its deliciousness and ease of execution and because it always guarantees a great success among my guests, a second helping is assured!
If you are looking for other foolproof recipes (sweet or savory) that are successful, tried and tested, and fail-proof, click on the Special: “My TOP recipes“.
If you love Neapolitan cuisine, go to the section of my blog dedicated to Neapolitan recipes (sweet and savory): “Authentic Neapolitan Cuisine“.
If you’re looking for light, healthy, and diet recipes, click on the section: “Light but Delicious Recipes“
If you’re looking for quick and easy recipes (sweet or savory), click on my Special. “Quick and Easy Recipes“.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 3 People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Campania
- Seasonality: All Seasons, Christmas
Ingredients for Linguine with Baby Octopus alla Luciana
- 10.6 oz linguine (or spaghetti)
- 6 baby octopus (approximately 1.1 lbs)
- 3.5 oz Gaeta olives
- 1.8 oz capers
- 7.1 oz cherry tomatoes
- 2 garlic
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt (for pasta)
- Half glass dry white wine
- to taste parsley
- to taste chili pepper
Tools
- Cutting Board with two side trays, also oven-safe
- Knife
- Pot
- Pan for tossing pasta
Steps for Linguine with Baby Octopus alla Luciana
Attention! It is better to use fresh baby octopus that has been previously FROZEN, because they will turn out very tender, as the cold will work for you, causing the water within the octopus tissues to expand, making them very tender.
First, wash and pit the Gaeta olives and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Take a pan and add the baby octopus (without oil or water), let them cook WITHOUT anything (secret for the perfect success of my recipe) until all the water they release evaporates, and the pan must be dry.
Let the water from the baby octopus absorb completely (the pan will turn pink, but it doesn’t mean the octopus is burnt, it is their flavor releasing during cooking), put them aside and in the same pan flavored by the octopus, add the oil and sauté the garlic, chili pepper, Gaeta olives, and capers (do not remove the salt, BUT do not add more salt to the sauce).
After 3 minutes, put the octopus back in, deglaze with white wine and after 5 minutes, add the chopped cherry tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes.
Once the sauce is cooked, cut the baby octopus into small pieces, leaving some whole for plate aesthetics.
In the meantime, boil a pot of salted water, cook the pasta al dente (drain it 5 minutes before the time indicated on the package; saving the cooking water).
Pour the al dente linguine into the pan with the octopus sauce, add a ladle of cooking water and toss the pasta until absorbed.
Serve the linguine hot, sprinkled with finely chopped parsley.
Shopping Tips!!!
This cutting board with side trays is very convenient (one for chopped food, the other for waste).
To make this recipe, I used this convenient pasta tossing pan, lightweight and professional, ideal for tossing pasta, the narrow bottom and wide angle of the cooking tool are optimal for saute cooking without spilling.
You can purchase all the items I recommend above, on Amazon, at a great price, just click directly on the respective links.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Why are they called “baby octopus alla luciana”?
Baby octopus alla Luciana are called so because their origin is intimately tied to the Borgo di Santa Lucia, an area of the capital of Campania located near Castel dell’Ovo, one of the oldest districts of the city, where the inhabitants naturally took up fishing.
Difference between baby octopus and musky octopus?
First of all, octopus and musky octopus do not belong to the same species. The musky octopus belongs to the species known as eledone moschata and is found in the Atlantic and Northern Seas, while the so-called baby octopus are smaller specimens of the octpus vulgaris family, found in rocky sea beds and often in the Mediterranean. In musky octopus, the tentacles are 8 but have one row of suckers that are easily distinguishable; baby octopus have 8 tentacles as well, but each has two rows of suckers, perfectly symmetrical. The musky octopus is considered less prized than the octopus and usually costs less. The musky octopus is more suited to soups, fritters, and salads while baby octopus are more versatile and suitable for preparing appetizers, first courses, or main courses.
