Salento’s pignata method featured in Italian octopus recipes

Traditional Salento cooks use a terracotta pignata to slowly braise octopus, allowing the mollusk to stay tender without harsh heat. The method, passed down by Lecce’s home cooks, calls for selecting medium‑sized octopus, cleaning it carefully and cooking it in a generous earthenware pot that distributes heat evenly.

A contemporary recipe pairs octopus with potatoes, paprika and a reduced red‑pepper sauce. The dish begins by boiling the octopus for about 35 minutes, cooking the potatoes, then concentrating fresh red‑pepper juice into a thick emulsion with olive oil, garlic and chili. The octopus and sliced potatoes are served together, sprinkled with paprika and drizzled with the pepper‑chili sauce. The recipe was prepared by chef Paolo Casagrande and styled by Beatrice Prada.