Polpo Alla Griglia Recipe

Prepare and tenderize

Clean the octopus if not already cleaned (remove beak and ink sac). Bring a large pot of water, white wine, bay leaves, peppercorns and coarse sea salt to a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil). Submerge the octopus fully and simmer gently for 40–60 minutes depending on size (1 kg typically 45–50 minutes) until a knife easily pierces the thickest part of the tentacle. Turn off heat and let octopus cool in the cooking liquid for 20 minutes to retain moisture.

Finish and grill

Remove the octopus from the liquid and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Reserve 2–3 tbsp of the cooking liquid. Cut tentacles from head and, if desired, halve the thicker tentacles lengthwise. Toss octopus with 2–3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest and smoked paprika. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high (medium-high, about 220–250°C). Grill octopus 2–3 minutes per side until charred and crispy at the edges. Baste once with a tablespoon of reserved cooking liquid while grilling to add flavor and moisture. Remove from grill and sprinkle with coarse finishing salt and chopped parsley; squeeze a little lemon juice over the top.

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Spread the drained, thoroughly dried chickpeas on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, ground cumin, ground coriander, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper and fine sea salt. Spread in a single layer and roast 30–40 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes, until chickpeas are golden and crisp. Towards the end of roasting, watch closely to avoid burning. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, then toss with 1/2 tbsp lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

In a food processor or with a whisk, combine drained tuna, mayonnaise, capers, minced garlic, lemon juice and Dijon mustard. Pulse or whisk until smooth and emulsified. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil to loosen the aioli and add shine. Season with salt and black pepper, taste and adjust acidity or seasoning. If the aioli is too thick, thin with 1–2 tsp water or a little reserved cooking liquid from the octopus.

Spread a generous spoonful of tonnato aioli in the center of each serving plate. Arrange grilled octopus tentacles over the aioli. Scatter a handful of crispy spiced ceci around and on top of the octopus for crunch. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, garnish with microgreens or watercress and lemon wedges. Serve immediately so the chickpeas remain crisp.