Recipe by Ciro Scamardella: Octopus Genovese in Ravioli

Clear homage to a classic of Campanian cuisine. Non-Neapolitans may wonder what "genovese" is, while Neapolitans might be surprised by the combination with octopus, considering that typically this is a sauce prepared with meat. It originates in the homes of fishermen along the Phlegraean coast, where it is said that given the high value of meat, which was therefore not readily accessible, they decided to replace the meat with "polpessa," the less noble part of the octopus, and let it cook with plenty of onions. In the dish, there is also the octopus liver which is cooked to make a sauce, the suction cups of the octopus, and finally the historic octopus water, reduced to provide a salty-sea concentration.

Ingredients

5 ravioli per person
7 grams of filling for 1 raviolo (35 grams of filling per person)
15 grams of onion cream per person
4 grams of liver sauce per person
3 grams of reduced octopus water per person
8 octopus suckers per person
3 chive curls per person

For the egg pasta

1kg of "00" flour
1kg of re-milled semolina
1 liter of egg yolks
360 grams of fresh egg yolks
200 ml of water

Method

Work all the ingredients in a stand mixer with the hook until the dough becomes well compact; the amount of water may vary depending on the humidity.

For the filling

8kg of white onions
5kg of octopus
100 ml of extra virgin olive oil
Anchovy sauce to taste
Soy sauce to taste
Octopus water to taste
Celery as needed
Carrot as needed
Onion as needed
Bay leaves as needed

Method

Cut celery, carrot, and onion coarsely and put them in a large pot with water, along with the bay leaves. Bring to a boil and cook the octopus (only the tentacles) for about 30 minutes over high heat, then cover the pot and let it rest for 1 hour.

In another pan, add the thinly sliced onions and cook over very low heat for 2-3 hours until they become soft and wilted.

Skin the cooked octopus and set aside the suckers (the scraped skin should not be thrown away); dice the remaining octopus. Now add the oil to the sliced onions, increase the heat, and add the raw octopus heads, the diced cooked octopus, the oil, and the octopus cooking water, allowing it to cook until almost all of the added water evaporates.

Blend everything and season with anchovy sauce, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. Place in half-sphere silicone molds and freeze.

For the liver sauce

35 g of cooked octopus liver (5 minutes at 65°C)
35 g of chopped cooked octopus
2 g of anchovy sauce
1 g of soy sauce
5 ml of lemon juice
50 ml of grapeseed oil
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Method

Combine all ingredients except for the grapeseed oil, blend in a thermomix for 5 minutes at speed 7, gradually add the oil and continue blending for another 5 minutes at speed 10, strain through a chinois and store in the fridge.

For the butter and onion sauce

8 medium white onions
750 g of butter
15 ml of soy sauce
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Method

Cut the onions in half widthwise, char them on the barbecue, and vacuum seal them with the butter. Cook at 65°C for 1 and a half hours, then let it cool. Blend in the food processor for 7 minutes at maximum speed, strain through a fine chinois, and then season.

For the octopus water sauce

2.5kg of frozen octopus
8 liters of water
100 g of celery
100 g of carrot
100 g of onion
2 red turnips

Method

Cut the vegetables into irregular pieces, put them in a pot with the water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, then strain and put in a pressure cooker. Add the octopus with the small pieces of red turnip, after the whistle, cook for 50 minutes.

Release the pressure, remove the octopuses while still hot, and let them rest for 1 hour. Remove the dirt that forms at the bottom of the pot by allowing it to settle. Reduce the obtained liquid by 2/3 over medium heat to avoid clouding the water. Taste carefully to avoid oversalting.

For the celery oil

70 g of celery leaves
140 g of grapeseed oil

Method

Blanch the celery leaves in boiling salted water, add 1 g of baking soda, blend everything in the food processor at speed 7 for 10 minutes at 70°C.

Strain the oil through a fine mesh sieve and freeze it in a long, narrow container. Leave it in the freezer overnight, unmold, and immediately remove the excess water that will freeze on the oil surface and keep it in the fridge.