Pulpo a la Gallega

Galician octopus, tender potatoes, a generous drizzle of olive oil, and a generous dusting of paprika. Also known as polbo á feira in Galician.

This dish is a great representation of the variety that there is in Spain. As I mentioned earlier, the Spanish pride themselves on sourcing local ingredients. Yeah, you could eat this in the bigger cities like Madrid, but to be honest, I only have it during my travels to Galicia, in northwestern Spain, where the octopus is freshest. There’s something special about eating a dish in the region it comes from, surrounded by the landscapes, traditions, and people that have shaped it.

Preparation:

25 minutes

Cook Time:

50 minutes

Servings:

2

Ingredients:

• 1 kg cooked or raw octopus
• 1 medium potato
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• A pinch of sweet paprika
• A pinch of hot paprika
• Sea salt
• Water, for boiling

Preparation

1. Prepare the octopus. If using frozen octopus, thaw it completely in the refrigerator. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Traditionally, the octopus is dipped into the boiling water three times, lifting it out between dips, before being fully submerged. This is known as asustar al pulpo (“frightening the octopus”) and helps the tentacles curl.
2. Cook until tender. Simmer gently for approximately 35–60 minutes, depending on the octopus's size. Start checking after 30–35 minutes by piercing the thickest part of a tentacle with a knife; it should be tender but not falling apart. Cooking time varies, so tenderness matters more than the clock.
3. Cook the potatoes. Remove the octopus and set it aside to rest. In the same cooking water, boil the peeled potato until fork-tender, about 15–20 minutes. You can also cook it separately in salted water if preferred. Drain and slice into rounds.
4. Slice the octopus. Cut the tentacles into bite-sized rounds, about 1 cm thick. Slice the head too, if you like, removing any parts you don't want to serve.
5. Plate and season. Arrange the octopus slices on a serving plate and put the potato on top; you can leave it as a whole or cut it into slices. Sprinkle generously with sweet paprika and a little hot paprika if desired. Finish with coarse sea salt and a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Tips:

• Tender, never rubbery. The secret is cooking the octopus until a knife slides easily into the thickest part of a tentacle. Check it as it cooks since timing depends on its size.
• Paprika is non-negotiable. Some people skip the paprika, but not in my book.

What to pair it with:

A sip of Galicia: Pair it with a chilled Godello, a white wine from Galicia. It will complement the octopus and olive oil beautifully.