Although this is an Italian dish. I first tasted it in Spain. We had caught the,”Frexisenet Express” north from Barcelaona to the village of Sant Sadurni d’ Anoia. With a couple of hours to kill before our scheduled tour of the,”Cava” Centre we wandered up into the village.
The road bollards are the shape of champagne corks. Champagne is a protected name for wine from a distinct region of France.
Or to look at another way. The French word for The Spanish Cava.
OK I am a little biased.
We stumbled upon this little restaurant.
I enjoy talking to people.
I also enjoy listening to people.
Sometimes just a few words of encouragement is all that is required.
My open smile and praise for the wonderful, octopus carpaccio we had just eaten was enough.
It would have been rude not to buy the second round of Grappa but certainly the third was not needed to pass on the recipe.
I am sure there are other recipes equally as good but this is the one he told me.
Boil the cleaned octopus for one hour.
Leave to cool in the water.
Put the octopus into a plastic bottle.
I used a cut off UK milk bottle. Depending on size.
Push, pound it down into the bottle to eliminate air pockets.
Freeze.
I don’t have the skill to carve thin slices with a sharp knife.
I used an electric slicer. Carve, slice the frozen octopus.
Add paprika, oil and salt to taste.
My wife suggested using garlic infused oil. Hm. Maybe.
