Octopus, potato and olive salad (Insalata di polpo, patate e olive Taggiasche)

An easy recipe made out of few simple ingredients yet with a remarkable effect! This salad you can find on the menu everywhere in Italy. It is as well part of the Christmas Eve menu.

Cooking time: 20 mins

Prep time: 15 mins

What do you need?

• Octopus cleaned (around 1kg)

• 4 to 5 medium potatoes

• Taggiasca olives

• 1 carrot

• 1 onion peeled

• Some grains of black pepper

• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Ground black pepper to taste

• Salt to taste

• Fresh parsley

How to proceed?

1. Boil the potatoes: place the whole potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for about 20 minutes until tender. Drain and let cool

2. In a pot full of water, add the carrot, the peeled onion cut in half, the grains of black pepper some salt and bring to a boil.

3. Hold the octopus firmly by the head and dip the tentacles in the boiling water repeatedly for few times then dip it completely in the water, season with salt and cook for about 25 minutes.

4. Once cooked, let it cool in its cooking water. It will take at least a couple of hours

5. Peel the potatoes and cut into into cubes. Set aside.

6. Now that the octopus is cold, transfer it to the cutting board and cut it into small pieces.

7. In a bowl, place the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar and mix well, add salt pepper and freshly chopped parsley.

8. Arrange the pieces of octopus and potatoes on a serving plate add the seasoning; distribute it evenly and add the olives on top. For a special effect for this plate you can arrange the ingredients inside a metal ring mold.

9. Your octopus and potato salad is ready!