Imagine small pieces of octopus slowly cooked in freshly grated tomatoes and winter spices. Picture the juices of this melting sauce penetrating your macaroni. This dish is an ode to the Greek vegetarian cuisine, plus your little monkeys will love it.
Hands on: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 kilo octopus, washed and cleaned
2 onions (finely chopped)
½ cup olive oil
½ cup white wine (dry)
1 pinch cinnamon (ground)
1 pinch cloves (ground)
1 pinch allspice (ground)
400 gr fresh tomatoes (grated)
1 pinch sugar
500 gr macaroni (wholegrain)
salt
pepper
parsley to serve
How to do it
Wash the octopus thoroughly. Cut through above and below the eyes and discard this piece. Take off and discard the mouth. Turn the hood inside out and clean. Cut into small pieces.
Place a large pot over medium heat.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the sauté the onions for 2 minutes.
Add the octopus to the pot and sauté for 3-4 minutes over high heat, until it’s color changes and turns slightly red.
Add all the spices and stir so that their aroma is released.
Add the tomato paste and stir to sauté also.
Add the ouzo and wait for the alcohol to evaporate.
Add the tomato sauce, a pinch of sugar and boiled water so that all your ingredients are fully covered.
Stir and lower heat to medium. Simmer until the octopus gets soft (about 45 minutes).
Then, add the macaroni, lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pasta boils and the juices are almost absorbed. Not completely absorbed.
Time to add the salt. If the octopus you used is fresh, you might not need to add salt at all. Taste it and season according to taste.
Freshly ground pepper and some finely chopped parsley and ready to serve.