Pulpo a la Gallega

Pulpo a la Gallega

Pulpo a la Gallega

Galician-style boiled octopus sliced onto a wooden board and dressed with olive oil, smoked paprika, and sea salt — a tapas bar staple now seen worldwide.

Cuisines

Spanish

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 60 min Total: 80 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 octopus (about 1 kg)
2 large potatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
— coarse sea salt
— water

Instructions

  1. 1 Clean the octopus under cold running water to remove any impurities.
  2. 2 Bring a large pot of water to a boil without adding salt.
  3. 3 Once boiling, dip the octopus into the water three times to curl the tentacles, then submerge it completely.
  4. 4 Cook the octopus on a gentle simmer for about 40-50 minutes until tender.
  5. 5 While the octopus is cooking, peel and slice the potatoes into thick rounds.
  6. 6 Boil the potato slices in a separate pot with salted water until tender, about 15 minutes.
  7. 7 Once cooked, remove the octopus and let it cool slightly before cutting it into bite-sized pieces.
  8. 8 Arrange the potato slices on a serving platter and sprinkle with a little sea salt.
  9. 9 Place the octopus pieces over the potatoes.
  10. 10 Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle both types of paprika over the top.
  11. 11 Add a final touch of sea salt to taste before serving.

Tips

For the best texture, freeze the octopus before cooking and then thaw it. This helps to tenderize the meat.