Pintxo De Pulpo A La Gallega (gf) Recipe
Spanish octopus skewer, potato, paprika, Arbequina
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Ingredients
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Octopus & Skewers
Potatoes & Finish
Method
Potatoes
Cook potatoes
Place the scrubbed potatoes whole in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 cm. Add 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife (12–18 minutes depending on size).
Drain and cool
Drain the potatoes, allow to cool slightly until they can be handled, then slice each into 1 cm thick rounds. Keep warm on a tray while preparing octopus.
Octopus & Skewers
Prepare octopus
If your octopus is refrigerated cooked, pat the tentacle dry with paper towels. Cut the tentacle into 2–3 cm bite-sized medallions (or thick slices) suitable for skewering. If using vacuum-packed, remove any excess liquid and dry thoroughly.
Assemble pintxos
Thread each skewer in this order: one potato round, one octopus medallion, another potato round (or alternate potato & octopus as desired). Reserve a small gap at the end of the skewer so it sits flat on a plate. Repeat to make 8 skewers.
Season and oil
Arrange the assembled skewers on a tray. Brush both sides generously with 4 tablespoons Arbequina olive oil. Sprinkle the 1 teaspoon fine sea salt evenly over the skewers and dust with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika so each pintxo has a light paprika coating.
Sear (stovetop) or Grill
Heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat until smoking lightly, or preheat a grill to medium-high. Add the skewers in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Cook 1.5–2 minutes per side until octopus develops a light char and potatoes have golden edges. If using a grill, place skewers perpendicular to grates so pieces don't fall through, turning once.
Finish & Serve
Final dressing
Transfer hot skewers to a serving platter. Immediately drizzle with 2 tablespoons Arbequina olive oil (finishing), sprinkle with flaky sea salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon), the remaining 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika for color, and scatter 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley over the pintxos.
Optional
Serve with lemon wedges on the side for guests who want a squeeze of acid. Pintxos are best served warm as a tapas portion.