Pulpo á Feira — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Tender octopus slices arranged on a wooden board, drizzled with good olive oil, dusted with smoky pimentón, and scattered with coarse salt. A Galician masterpiece of simplicity.

Ingredients

1 whole octopus (about 1.5kg)
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp sweet smoked pimentón (paprika)
Coarse sea salt
Optional: boiled potatoes

Instructions

1 Freeze octopus for at least 24 hours to tenderize, then thaw completely.
2 Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil. Dip the octopus in and out three times (this curls the tentacles), then submerge fully.
3 Simmer gently for 45-55 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife.
4 Remove from water, let rest 5 minutes, then cut tentacles into 1cm rounds using scissors.
5 Arrange slices on a wooden board. Drizzle generously with olive oil, dust with pimentón, and finish with coarse salt.

Did You Know?

Traditionally, pulpeiras (octopus cooks) at Galician fairs use only copper pots, believing the metal gives the octopus its characteristic reddish hue.