Pulpo a la Gallega (Galician-Style Octopus)
Local name: Pulpo á feira
In short: Tender boiled octopus sliced over potatoes and finished with olive oil, coarse salt and smoked paprika, the signature tapa of Galicia. It takes about 1 h 50 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 h 35 min
- Total
- 1 h 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 305 kcal
Pulpo á feira is the dish of Galician fairs and festivals, where octopus is boiled in copper pots and cut with scissors straight onto wooden plates. The recipe is almost nothing: octopus, potatoes, olive oil, coarse salt and paprika. All the skill is in the boiling, which should leave the tentacles tender but not mushy. Home cooks get the same result with a good pot and a skewer to test.
Instructions
- If the octopus is fresh, freeze it overnight and thaw it in the fridge, which tenderizes the flesh. Rinse well and pat dry.
- Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil. Holding the octopus by the head, dip the tentacles in for 3 seconds, lift out, and repeat twice more so they curl.
- Lower the octopus in fully, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook partly covered for 45 to 60 minutes, until a skewer slides into the thickest part of a tentacle with little resistance.
- Lift out the octopus, wrap it in foil and rest it 10 minutes. Keep the cooking water hot.
- Add the potatoes to the water and cook 20 to 25 minutes until tender. Drain, peel and cut into 1 cm (1/2 in) slices.
- Snip the tentacles into 1 cm (1/2 in) slices with kitchen scissors. Lay the potatoes on a board or plate and pile the octopus on top.
- Drizzle generously with olive oil, then sprinkle with the coarse salt and both paprikas. Serve warm.
Tips
- Cook the octopus in unsalted water and season only at the end with coarse salt. Salt in the pot can toughen the skin.
- Use the cooking water for the potatoes, as it carries flavor. Keep the leftover water as a base for a rice or noodle soup.
Questions and answers
Do I need to freeze octopus before cooking?
Freezing and thawing breaks down the fibers and makes the meat more tender. Most octopus sold is already frozen. If yours is fresh, freeze it for 24 hours first.
How do I know when octopus is cooked?
Pierce the thickest part of a tentacle with a skewer. It should slide in easily, like into a cooked potato. Overcooked octopus turns soft and loses its skin.
Can I serve pulpo cold?
It tastes best warm, but leftovers can be eaten at room temperature or reheated briefly in a pan with a little oil. Keep them in the fridge for up to 2 days.
How long does it take to make Pulpo a la Gallega (Galician-Style Octopus)?
About 1 h 50 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 1 h 35 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Pulpo a la Gallega (Galician-Style Octopus)?
About 305 kcal per serving, with 37 g of protein, 15 g of carbohydrates and 11 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 305 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 37 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Sodium | 1230 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
