Spanish · Starter · Medium
Pulpo a la Gallega
Tender octopus sliced over warm potato rounds, anointed with olive oil and dusted with smoked paprika and coarse salt. Simple, rustic, and deeply satisfying.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Pulpo a la Gallega, in 5 ideas
- The triple dip curls the tentacles for the classic presentation and a more even cook.
- Resting the octopus in the hot water after cooking keeps it tender instead of tightening up.
- Frozen octopus is often more tender than fresh because freezing breaks down the fibers.
- Serve it warm, never piping hot, so the olive oil coats everything silkily.
- A wooden board is traditional and makes a beautiful rustic presentation.
What you need
Ingredients
- 1.2kg whole octopus, cleaned (ask the fishmonger)
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced 1cm thick
- 120ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp coarse sea salt, plus more for the pot
- 1 bay leaf
How to make it
Directions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water with the bay leaf to a rolling boil.
- Using tongs, dip the octopus in and out of the boiling water three times to curl the tentacles, then submerge it fully.
- Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook 40 to 45 minutes, until a skewer slides easily into the thickest part of a tentacle.
- Turn off the heat and let the octopus rest in the hot water for 10 minutes, then lift it out and cut it into 1cm slices.
- Meanwhile, simmer the potato slices in salted water for 12 minutes until tender, then drain.
- Arrange the warm potatoes on a wooden board or platter and lay the octopus slices over them.
- Pour over the olive oil, dust with both paprikas, and finish with the coarse sea salt.
Use the octopus cooking water, once strained, as a rich base for a seafood soup or a simple fish stew.