Polpo e patate (octopus and potato braise)

Method

1. Rinse the octopus under a cold tap. Make sure the tentacles are free of any grit. Remove the eyes and clean inside the head thoroughly, but leave the octopus whole.
2. Put the garlic in a large deep saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add 3 tbsp of the olive oil and heat gently for a few minutes to flavour the oil. Add the octopus and turn the heat up to medium; cook for 2 minutes, colouring it all over. Pour over the wine, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over a low heat for about 45 minutes. Check for tenderness – a fork pushed into the thickest part should find no resistance (another 10-15 minutes simmering, covered, may be necessary).
3. Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a medium saucepan, fill with cold water to cover and add a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and cook for 12-15 minutes until just soft. Drain.
4. When the octopus is very tender, take it off the heat and leave in the pan until cool enough to handle. Leaving the juices in the pan, drain the octopus on kitchen paper. If the octopus is large, you may need to peel it – the skin should come off just by rubbing or scraping it gently. Small ones won’t need peeling.
5. Chop the octopus into 5cm pieces, then return it to the juices in the pan, along with the potatoes. Add the parsley and lemon juice, plus the rest of the olive oil, then season with salt and black pepper. Toss to combine and serve warm or cold with plenty of bread to mop up the sauce.