Pulpo á feira (Galician octopus)
Boiled octopus cut with scissors onto a wooden plate, with olive oil, coarse salt and paprika. At festivals and fairs in Galicia, Vigo included, it’s the star dish.
Ingredients
- 1 octopus of about 2 kg (previously frozen)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Coarse salt
- Sweet and hot paprika
- 4 potatoes (optional, “cachelos”)
How to make it at home
- Thaw the octopus in the fridge (freezing it makes it tender).
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Hold the octopus by the head and “scare” it: dip it in and lift it out three times.
- Cook it for about 30–40 minutes (depending on size), until it’s tender when pierced. Leave it to rest in the water for 10 minutes.
- Boil the potatoes in their skins in the same water if you want them.
- Cut the tentacles into rounds with scissors, place them on a wooden plate and dress with coarse salt, paprika and oil.
The trick: Scaring it three times stops the skin from coming away during cooking.