This can be made as a one pot meal by adding 6 peeled and quartered potatoes after simmering for 30 minutes. Otherwise this can be served with crusty bread or even pasta. The octopus can be tenderised by using a rolling pin or mallet. Another way to tenderise the octopus is to freeze it first for a few days and then defrost before cooking.
Author: www.amaltesemouthful.com (Marlene Zammit)
Cuisine: Maltese
Ingredients
3 onions finely diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 garlic cloves crushed and chopped
1 kg octopus (I bought two small octopus) tenderised with a mallet and chopped into 5 cm pieces
4 tomatoes (500 grams) chopped
20 black olives
2 tablespoons capers
150 ml red wine
lemon zest of 1 lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice
1 tablespoon each of thyme, mint, basil and parsley
6 potatoes peeled and quartered (optional)
100 grams peas (optional)
Chopped herbs and lemon zest to garnish
Olive oil for frying
Salt and pepper
Instructions
In a heavy based dish fry the onions on low heat for ten minutes.
Add the tomato paste and fry for 1 minute.
Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute.
Fry the octopus for ten minutes and stir continuously.
Add the tomatoes and cook for ten minutes.
Add the olives, capers, wine, lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice, and the herbs.
Simmer for 45 minutes with the lid on.
If adding potatoes add half an hour after stew is simmering.
Once the stew has been simmering for 45 minutes add in the peas.
Simmer for a further 15 minutes without the lid on.
Serve with roast potatoes, or crusty bread, or pasta.
Garnish with some chopped herbs and lemon zest.
Recipe by A Maltese Mouthful at https://www.amaltesemouthful.com/octopus-stew-stuffat-tal-qarnit/