Ingredients
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1.2 - 1.5 kg cleaned Octopus from one of the Blue Island Fish Markets
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1 pack pasta (Penne or Farfalle)
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1 cup olive oil
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1 large onion, finely chopped
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1 cup Commandaria
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1 cup dry red wine
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4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
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500 g tomatoes, grated
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1 teaspoon thyme
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3-4 allspice seeds
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2 cinnamon sticks
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1 bay leaf
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Salt
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Pepper
Instructions
Wash the octopus and place it in a colander to drain.
Put a pan on a high heat and put the octopus in whole. The octopus will shrink and let out liquid. Cover the pan with a lid and turn down the heat. Let the octopus boil in its own juice. As soon as the octopus has absorbed the liquid, and has softened enough, remove it from the pan and cut it into smaller pieces.
Then, pour the olive oil into the pan to warm up and add the onion. Sauté lightly and add the octopus. Sauté a little more and add the wine and Commandaria. Once the alcohol has evaporated, add the tomato, vinegar, allspice, bay leaf and salt and pepper. After the food has come to the boil on a high heat, turn it down, add the cinnamon, cover the pan and simmer for about forty minutes to an hour. Cook until the octopus is very soft and the sauce has thickened.
At the same time, boil the pasta of your choice in a separate pan with salted water until cooked al dente. Drain the pasta and save a cup of the water. Add the pasta to the pan with the octopus. Add some of the water that was saved and simmer until completely cooked.
Bon appétit!
