Italian cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Carpaccio di Polpo

Pressed octopus terrine, sliced paper-thin and dressed with lemon, olive oil and parsley.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 1.2 kg octopus (cleaned)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 onion
• 2 lemons
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1 stalk celery

Instructions

1. Bring plenty of water to a boil with the halved onion, celery stalk, bay leaves and peppercorns, and dip the octopus in three times briefly until the tentacles curl.
2. Submerge the octopus fully and simmer at very low heat just below boiling for 50–60 min, until a fork slides into a tentacle without resistance; let cool in the broth for 20 min.
3. Cut off the top of a 1.5-liter plastic bottle above the shoulder and pack the still-warm octopus tightly into it in pieces, leaving no gaps.
4. Seal the bottle with plastic wrap, weigh it down and press in the fridge for at least 12 hours, until a firm terrine has formed.
5. Cut the bottle open lengthwise, remove the terrine and slice it with a very sharp knife into 2 mm thin slices, arranging them shingle-style on plates.
6. Drizzle with olive oil and the juice of one lemon, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and finely chopped parsley, and serve ice-cold with wedges of the second lemon.