Preparation
- Octopus: 1 kg
- Potatoes: 1 kg
- Laurel: 2 leaves
FOR THE CITRONETTE
- Parsley: 1 sprig
- Black pepper: to taste
- Il Cavallino Toscano IGP extra virgin olive oil: 60 g
- Fine salt: to taste
- Lemon juice: 60 g
To prepare the warm octopus and potato salad, you can start with the potatoes: place a large pan filled with cold water on the heat and immerse the potatoes, washed well beforehand, in their skins: they will have to cook for about 30-40 minutes from the moment they boil (the fork test will prove the cooking: if they are pierced without resistance they are ready). You can halve the cooking time by cooking the potatoes in a pressure cooker. In the meantime, clean the octopus: turn and empty the head, remove the tooth located in the center of the tentacles with a small knife and then remove the eyes; then rinse it very well under running water. (If you use a fresh octopus we recommend beating it with a hammer to mature the meat, therefore making it more tender; alternatively or after beating you can decide to freeze it for a couple of days). In another pan, pour plenty of water, add the bay leaves and bring to the boil. Once it reaches the boil, immerse only the octopus tentacles in the boiling water for a few moments and lift the octopus again. Repeat this operation 2-3 times or until the tentacles are well curled. Then immerse the whole octopus in water, cover with the lid and cook for 50 minutes over moderate heat. For optimal cooking, remember that for every 500 grams of octopus it takes approximately 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, when the potatoes are cooked, drain them, peel them being careful not to burn themselves and cut them into 2-3 cm cubes. Keep them aside warm. Prepare the citronette: pour the squeezed lemon juice into a kitchen bottle, add the Il Cavallino Toscano PGI extra virgin olive oil add salt, pepper and close with the appropriate dispenser, then shake the bottle to mix. Wash and finely chop the parsley. As soon as the octopus is ready, drain it, let it cool for 10 minutes and then place it on a cutting board to cut it into small pieces, divide it in half, cut off the head and detach the tentacles from the central body then cut everything into pieces of about 2-3 cm. Pour the octopus into a large bowl, add the warmed potato cubes, season the salad with the citronette flavored with chopped parsley and mix gently to add flavour. The octopus salad is ready to be brought to the table!
