Grilled Octopus (Polpo alla Griglia) Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 whole octopus, about 1.2 kg (cleaned)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cork (optional, traditional tenderising trick)
• 500 g waxy potatoes
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to finish
• 2 lemons (1 for boiling, 1 for serving)
• 1 small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch of dried chilli flakes (optional)

Method

1. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil with the bay leaf, half a lemon and the cork if using. Hold the octopus by the head and dip the tentacles into the boiling water three times to help them curl naturally, then submerge the whole octopus completely.
2. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer and cook the octopus for 40–50 minutes, until a skewer slides effortlessly into the thickest part of a tentacle. Remove and allow to cool in its own cooking liquid for 10 minutes, then transfer to a board.
3. While the octopus cools, boil the potatoes in salted water until just tender, about 15–20 minutes. Drain, peel while still warm, and slice into rounds about 1 cm thick.
4. Cut the cooled octopus into individual tentacles and halve the head. Pat everything thoroughly dry with kitchen paper — this step is essential for a good char rather than steaming on the grill.
5. Brush the octopus pieces generously with olive oil and season well with salt and black pepper.
6. Heat a griddle pan or outdoor grill to its highest setting until smoking. Place the octopus pieces on the grill and cook for 3–4 minutes per side without moving, pressing lightly to ensure even contact, until deep grill marks form and the skin is crispy and caramelised.
7. Arrange the warm sliced potatoes on a serving platter. Lay the grilled octopus on top, squeeze over the juice of the remaining lemon, drizzle generously with extra-virgin olive oil, scatter over the chopped parsley and chilli flakes if using. Serve immediately.

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