Yiayia Lily's xtapodomakaronada (octopus pasta) from Corfu

Name: Xtapodomakaronada (octopus pasta) recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1.6kg frozen octopus, defrosted; 3 large red onions, roughly chopped; 250ml olive oil; 1/2 tsp hot paprika or cayenne pepper; 1l water; 30.00 ml tomato paste; 500-700g spaghetti (Yiayia Lily’s favourite is Barilla no.3)

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P87 Yiayia Lily's xtapodomakaronada (octopus pasta) from Corfu

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by Anastasia Miari

FOOD WRITER

Jun 16, 2023

"Lily isn’t your typical yiayia in that she isn’t Greek, but she can knock up a better spicy makaronada than most of the yiayiades on the island. That’s because she’s married to Kyrios Bellos, owner of my favourite establishment in Corfu, Klimataria, and an arbiter of taste when it comes to traditional Corfiot dishes like this one. This octopus pasta is both a signature of the island and of Klimataria. The octopus cooks in a rich sauce of olive oil, spicy pepper and tomato and is served with spaghetti. Both the pasta and the addition of spices nod to the Italian influence on Corfu, the conquering Venetians bringing spice to the island from their expeditions further east." – Anastasia Miari

1.6kg frozen octopus, defrosted
3 large red onions, roughly chopped
1 cup (250ml) olive oil
1/2 tsp hot paprika or cayenne pepper
4 cups (1L) warm water
1 1/2 tbs tomato paste
500-700g spaghetti (Yiayia Lily’s favourite is Barilla no.3)

Method

1.

Rinse the defrosted octopus and massage it as you do. Chop the head off, slicing 2cm rings from the head, then cut the tentacles into 7cm chunks before placing into a wide and shallow casserole dish.
2.

Place the dish over a high heat and allow the water to cook off for 30 minutes with the lid on – you’ll see a lot of water comes off the octopus.
3.

Meanwhile, blitz onions in a food processor. You can finely chop them if you don’t have a food processor, but blending is better as it will give you a silkier sauce. After 30 minutes of the octopus steaming in its own water, add the olive oil and onions. Stir everything well so that the octopus doesn’t stick.
4.

Stir in 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper and the paprika, then cover the octopus with the warm water. Cook over a high heat for about 40 minutes until the octopus is tender – you want to be able to stick a toothpick in it and pull it out again. Throughout the cooking time, check the octopus isn’t sticking, and stir frequently, supplementing with an extra glass of water if it needs it.
5.

Towards the end of the cooking time, stir in the tomato paste. If the sauce is looking a bit dry, add a little more water – the octopus can only get more tender the longer it cooks.
6.

When the octopus is tender, remove from the heat and leave a lid on it while you cook the spaghetti. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente, as per the packet’s instructions. Serve with the octopus and sauce.