Octopus paccheri

Paccheri is a pasta shaped like a large tube, you can buy it in Italian specialist shops and some supermarkets.

SERVES 2 PREP 20 mins

COOK 2 hrs 40 mins MORE EFFORT

extra virgin olive oil

2 lemons

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1/2 bunch parsley, leaves chopped and stalks reserved

1 small octopus (good quality octopus from a fishmonger, very fresh or frozen on board)

200g green beans, trimmed and halved 200g paccheri

1/2 chilli, finely chopped splash of white wine

20g pecorino, grated dill fronds, to serve

1 Put some oil in a large pan with the halves of 1 lemon (squeeze them into the pan), half the garlic and the parsley stalks. Holding the octopus by the head, let the tentacles touch the bottom of the pan and lift it up. Do it a few times. This will stop the tentacles shrinking. Put the octopus in the pan, cover with water and simmer until soft, at least 2 hrs. Remove from the pan and save the stock. Once cool enough to handle, cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces (see right).

2 Blanch the green beans for 4 mins in boiling salted water, then refresh in iced water to keep their colour and texture.

3 Cook the paccheri until al dente (this takes about about 14 mins), then drain. Put a pan on the hob with some olive oil, the remaining garlic and a tiny bit of chilli. Sear the octopus in the pan. Add the white wine and let it bubble, then add 3 dashes of octopus stock (be careful, it’ll be very salty) and return the pasta to the pan.

4 Sautè the pasta with more olive oil and the pecorino. Add the green beans. Tip onto plates, grate over some lemon zest, grind over some black pepper and scatter over some dill.

GOOD TO KNOW folate • fibre • iron • 1 of 5-a-day

PER SERVING 636 kcals • fat 18g • saturates 4g • carbs 79g • sugars 6g • fibre 10g • protein 32g • salt 1.1g