Octopus in Tomato Sauce with Pasta

Since Orthodox Easter (Pascha) is getting closer and we are in a fasting season we suggest one of the most favourite dishes during Great Lent: Octopus in tomato sauce with pasta!

Ingredients (serves 5–6 people)

A big octopus (or small ones) fresh or frozen
1/3 cup of ILIADA PDO Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 chopped onion
1 clove garlic (chopped)
3-4 ripe fresh tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup of red dry wine
2 cups water
Cinnamon
Parsley (optional)
2 bay leaves
850 ml (31/2 cups) water
1 packet of ditali pasta (500 grams)

Preparation:

Wash and dry the octopus very carefully. Make sure you remove its beak.
Heat the saucepan and add the octopus. Mix until it sweats out a pinkish liquid. Keep an eye on it mixing every now and then and cook it in its juices until that liquid has evaporated. Remove the octopus and cut it into smaller pieces.
Add ILIADA PDO Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the pan, then the onion and garlic and saute until translucent scraping the pot to clean what’s left from the octopus.
Add wine and stir until alcohol evaporates.
Pass the tomatoes through a food processor together with the tomato paste and add it to the octopus. Then add the pepper, the bay leaves and 2 cups of water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour. Remove bay leaves after about 10 minutes of cooking. Add the cinnamon and parsley (optional) a few minutes before you remove it from the heat.

When the octopus is cooked, add some more water and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta in the sauce stirring from time to time, taste and add salt, if necessary.

Serve and enjoy!