Paccheri al Ragù di Polpo

Name: Paccheri al Ragù di Polpo
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Ultimate Pasta
Ingredients: 400 g paccheri; 600 g octopus; 400 g tomatoes; 2 garlic cloves; 1 handful parsley; 80 ml white wine; 3 tbsp olive oil; to taste fine sea salt

25 minutes prep 35 minutes cook Serves 4

Paccheri al Ragù di Polpo hails from the sun-drenched southern coasts of Italy, where the sea's bounty meets the land's harvest. This dish is often prepared during the height of summer, when octopus is at its tender best, and tomatoes are vibrant and ripe. The coastal towns embrace this dish as a celebration of their maritime roots, capturing the essence of the Mediterranean in a single bowl.

In this recipe, the paccheri cradles a rich ragù, where tender octopus melds with sweet tomatoes, fragrant garlic, and a splash of white wine. The olive oil imparts a silken texture, while parsley adds a fresh finish. Each bite is a harmonious blend of briny, sweet, and herbaceous notes, evoking the sea breeze and sunlit shores of its coastal origins.

Ingredients

400 gpaccheri
600 goctopus
400 gtomatoes
2garlic cloves
1 handfulparsley
80 mlwhite wine
3 tbspolive oil
to tastefine sea salt

Method

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add a generous amount of fine sea salt until the water tastes like the sea. This will season the paccheri as it cooks and enhance the overall flavor of the dish.
While the water is heating, prepare the ragù. In a wide pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and sauté until they are golden and fragrant, but not browned, to infuse the oil with flavor.
Add the 600 g of cleaned and chopped octopus to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the octopus turns opaque and releases its juices. This step tenderizes the octopus and builds the base of the ragù.
Pour in 80 ml of white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom. Allow the wine to simmer until it reduces by half, concentrating its flavors and marrying them with the octopus.
Add 400 g of chopped tomatoes to the pan. Stir to combine, and let the mixture simmer gently. Taste and season with fine sea salt as needed, ensuring the flavors meld together and the sauce thickens slightly.
Once the water is boiling, add 400 g of paccheri to the pot. Cook the pasta until it is just shy of al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Reserve a cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
Transfer the drained paccheri to the pan with the ragù. Toss everything together over low heat, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to loosen the sauce and help it adhere to the pasta.
Finish the dish by stirring in a handful of chopped parsley for freshness. Serve the Paccheri al Ragù di Polpo hot, ensuring each plate has a generous portion of both pasta and ragù.