Baby octopus Luciana way

Matteo Rubettino presents L’Italia in Cucina — a weekly segment in which he interviews various chefs to discuss regional Italian classics. In the first segment, Melbourne-based chef Salvatore Caccioppoli offers a recipe for baby octopus cooked the Luciana way. The name "Luciana way" comes from the district of Santa Lucia in Naples — a popular fisherman’s area. This dish is a traditional entree from the city of Naples, where all the perfect ingredients to make it can be found.

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• serves

  5

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves 
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 kg baby octopus, cleaned
• dash of white wine
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 100 g ground pepper
• 100 g chopped parsley

Wine match Falanghina del Sannio from Campi Flegrei, Campania, Italy

Instructions

Heat a large pot over high heat. Add the garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil. Fry for 1 minute. Add the octopus, a dash of white wine and a little water. Reduce heat to low and steam for one hour.

Allow the octopus to cool. Strain the octopus. Dress with the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, pepper and parsley.

Serve warm.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.