It is one of the Palermo street food cult foods. If you are planning a trip to the Sicilian capital, take a walk along the seafront of the list of things to do Mondello to try the boiled octopus (purpu vugghiutu in dialect). In the fifties it was sold in the stalls of the seaside village and was cooked in huge pots, after being vigorously beaten on the rocks by the sea. Many will still remember the famous commercial with Monica Bellucci, made in the 1990s by director Tornatore for Dolce & Gabbana. The octopus was then pulled out of the pot with a fork and cut into pieces only when it had to be consumed. Today there are no more purpari but it is possible to taste this specialty in the restaurants of the square of Mondello, the Palermo's favorite beach, or in historic city markets.
Restaurant The corner of Mondello
A family with the sea inside, specialized in the art of octopus fishing. "My grandfather was one specchiarolo, from the boat he immersed the trunk in the water resting it on a large mirror to identify the octopuses and in this way he gave the directives to the fishermen on the maneuvers to be carried out ”. Speaking is the young chef (27 years old) Gaspare Giammanco of the trattoria L’angolo di Mondello that will celebrate a year of activity on May 16th. The dishes offered are those of the Sicilian maritime tradition. In the dining room the direction is entrusted to father Franco, thanks to his long experience in the restaurant world. The support of mother Patrizia Caruso, also of a historic local family, is fundamental. A passion, the one for fishing that involved Salvatore, the eldest son of the couple, from an early age who, after taking over "Provvidenza", the maternal grandfather's fishing boat, delights in fishing in the crystal clear waters of the Gulf of Mondello, squids, snappers and other delicacies that end up in his brother's kitchen. The restaurant is intimate and welcoming, decorated with the colors of white and blue. In summer, passing patrons can taste alone 6 € the boiled octopus to eat standing – as the purpari street food tradition wants – in the colorful ceramic dishes placed on an external counter.
Octopus boiled recipe from Palermo
Ingredients
Fresh octopus
2/3 lemons
Fresh parsley
Extra virgin olive oil
salt
Method
Wash the octopus well and put it in a pan with water. Add salt and bring to the boil. The octopus will be ready as soon as it becomes tender (check with a fork). The larger the octopus the longer the cooking time will be. Drain and place the octopus on a kitchen cutting board. Allow the tentacles to cool and cut well. Open the head in half, depriving it of the stomach and inedible parts. Season the octopus with oil, lemon juice and parsley. Serve in small pieces on a serving dish and garnish with lemon wedges and parsley tufts.
The advice of the sommelier
Excellent matching with the inzolia, native variety particularly widespread in western Sicily. It is a wine with a young character, characterized by a pronounced fragrance and freshness, thanks to its slender aromas and its minerality, which goes well with the sweet tendency of boiled octopus.
Where to eat the octopus from Palermo
The corner of Mondello
Via Mondello 15, Palermo
Tel. 091 6377921 – cell. 329 7010383
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