The recipe for octopus in sauce or alla Luciana is a traditional dish that is simple to make and much appreciated for its Mediterranean flavour and slow cooking, which makes the octopus soft and tasty.
Main ingredients
Octopus (approx. 1-1.2 kg)
Extra virgin olive oil
Garlic (1-2 cloves)
Fresh tomatoes or cherry tomatoes (400-500 g)
Tomato purée (approx. 100–300 g)
Gaeta black olives (approx. 100-180 g)
Capers (1 tablespoon or to taste)
Chilli pepper (to taste)
Chopped parsley for garnish
Salt to taste.
White wine (optional, for deglazing)
Typical procedure
In a terracotta pot or casserole dish, heat the extra virgin olive oil with the garlic, capers, chilli pepper and olives. Leave to flavour for a few minutes.
Add the fresh cherry tomatoes and, once they have softened, add the tomato purée. Mix well.
Clean the octopus thoroughly (remove the entrails and beak, and wash the suckers well), cut it into pieces if it is very large, and add it to the pot.
Cover with the lid and cook over a very low heat for about 45 minutes or until the octopus is tender. If you like, you can add a little white wine at the beginning.
When cooked, season with salt and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Serve hot, often accompanied by toasted bread croutons to enjoy the sauce.
This recipe expresses the Apulian tradition in its simplicity and intense flavours of the sea, stewing octopus with Mediterranean ingredients such as tomatoes, olives and capers in a typical terracotta “pignata” or similar pot.
How to buy a good octopus and check if it is fresh
To purchase a good fresh octopus, you need to follow a few basic guidelines:
Appearance and colour: Fresh octopus has shiny skin, a bright, intense colour, and a head that is generally white or milky white. The flesh should be firm and elastic to the touch, not flaccid or soft. The tentacles should be long and well stretched out, not crumpled.
Smell: It should have a pleasant, fresh sea smell and should not give off a bad smell of fish or ammonia, which indicates poor storage or old octopus.
Eyes: They are clear, bright, not dull or sunken.
Texture: The meat should feel firm to the touch, with a slight post-mortem elasticity when touched. Furthermore, it should not be excessively viscous, while maintaining a slight typical moisture content, and should not leave traces of foul-smelling liquid.
Origin and size: Preferably choose Mediterranean octopus, especially if sourced from the Tyrrhenian or Adriatic Seas, which are typical and prized fishing areas for octopus. Avoid octopus that is too small (at least 450 g after gutting) to ensure maturity and compliance with the minimum fishing size.
If possible, purchase from local fish markets or trusted fishmongers who guarantee freshness and provenance.
These tips will help you choose a high-quality octopus suitable for recipes such as octopus alla Luciana, ensuring optimal tenderness and flavour.
How to clean octopus
To clean fresh octopus properly before preparation:
Rinse the octopus thoroughly under cold water to remove any impurities.
Remove the eyes with a sharp knife, cutting around the area and cutting them away.
Remove the rostrum (beak) located at the base of the tentacles by breaking it off or cutting it away.
Empty the octopus head, removing the entrails and rinsing the sac thoroughly.
If you wish, you can score the skin with a sharp blade or lightly beat the octopus to tenderise the flesh.
Then, it is ready to be cooked according to the recipe (such as octopus alla Luciana).
Storage: Fresh octopus can be kept in the refrigerator for 1-2 days if wrapped in a damp cloth or in its original packaging. To store it for longer, it is best to freeze it after cleaning.
These steps ensure that the octopus is clean, free of unpleasant odours and ready for cooking, guaranteeing a tastier and safer result.
How to prepare octopus to make it tender
In Puglia, as in many parts of Italy, according to local gastronomic traditions, octopus is tenderised mainly using two traditional methods.
The first traditional method is known as “curling”: the octopus is beaten forcefully against a rock or hard surface to tear its fibres and make it more tender. This is often followed by rinsing in sea water, rubbing and soaking in water to further soften the meat.
The second method involves slow cooking in a terracotta pot (the “pignata”), in which the octopus cooks in its own water over low heat for a prolonged period (even over an hour), allowing the meat to tenderise naturally without the need to add water. This cooking method is a highly prized secret in Puglia and has always been used to obtain tender and flavourful octopus.
Another traditional tip is to massage the octopus vigorously with your hands or rub it to soften the meat, perhaps after cleaning it. Some people even say to freeze it to make it more tender.
These methods reflect the Apulian philosophy of working with simple ingredients but enhancing them with artisanal and traditional processes to ensure authentic flavours and perfect textures.
Modern alternative techniques for obtaining tender octopus
To obtain tender octopus using modern alternative techniques in addition to traditional methods, the following are used:
Freezing: Freezing octopus before cooking helps break down the muscle fibres and makes the meat more tender once thawed.
Use of pressure cookers: Cooking octopus in a pressure cooker significantly reduces cooking time while preserving its tenderness.
Vacuum packing and low-temperature cooking (sous vide): The octopus is vacuum packed and cooked slowly at controlled temperatures (between 70-80 °C) for several hours; this method tenderises the meat while retaining all its flavours.
Natural tenderisers: Some modern recipes call for adding natural enzymes extracted from fruits such as pineapple or papaya, which contain proteases that help break down the fibres.
Mechanical massages or “thermal shocks”: Some modern chefs alternate rapid immersions in boiling water and ice water to break down the fibres.
These methods, often combined with experience and tradition, produce very tender octopus with well-preserved textures and flavours, adapted to the needs of contemporary cuisine. They are appreciated in both professional and home cooking for their practicality and consistent results.