Octopus Baked in Paper / Htapodi Yioulbasi

5 from 1 vote

I first encountered this delicious, succulent octopus recipe inland in the Peloponnese, near Mantineia, one of the great wine-producing regions of Greece. Baking octopus in paper helps retain all its juices and also makes for a dramatic presentation. Try it with an aromatic Moschofilero wine from the same region.

Course dinner, Lunch, meze, starter

Cuisine Greek cuisine, Mediterranean diet

Keyword Diane Kochilas, extra virgin olive oil, Greek olive oil, octopus

PREP TIME 10 minutes

COOK TIME 40 minutes

SERVES 8

Ingredients

1 medium octopus about 2 ½ pounds/1.12 kilos
¼ cup/60 ml extra-virgin Greek olive oil
3 garlic cloves very thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Wash the octopus and pat dry. Rub the octopus with a little olive oil and hang on a clothesline outdoors in hot weather for 24 hours. If this is impossible, clean the octopus (remove the hood and beak) and place it in a dry pot. Heat over a very low heat until the octopus has exuded all its liquid, about 45 minutes. Drain well.
2. Have a large sheet of parchment or wax paper ready. Preheat the oven to 350˚F/180˚C. Place the octopus on the parchment. Sprinkle it with the garlic, parsley, and pepper and wrap it in the parchment. Place in a lightly oiled baking pan and bake the octopus until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately, cutting it into pieces along its tentacles.