Dalmatian Octopus Under the Bell (Hobotnica Ispod Peke)
hobotnica ispod peke Say it: hoh-BOHT-nee-tsah EES-pod PEH-keh
On Dalmatian feast days, a heavy iron bell is lowered over a tray and buried in embers; the reward is octopus that turns silky beside potatoes drinking up smoky, olive-oil-rich juices. This is the coastal way to feed a table: little fuss once the fire is ready, a long wait, then everything carved and spooned straight from the pan.
Dalmatian Octopus Under the Bell (Hobotnica Ispod Peke)
hobotnica ispod peke
Pronounced hoh-BOHT-nee-tsah EES-pod PEH-keh
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 30 min
- Total
- 2 hr
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains shellfish. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Method
Burn hardwood for 45 to 60 minutes until it collapses into a deep bed of glowing coals. For an indoor version, heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and set out a large cast-iron Dutch oven.
Coat the base of a shallow round peka pan—or a broad cast-iron skillet—with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the olive oil. Center the octopus, then surround and cap it with potatoes, onion wedges, carrots and sliced garlic.
Place the pan on the embers, lower the bell over it and cover the dome with hot coals. After 15 minutes, raise the bell and pour off the watery liquid the octopus has shed, leaving only a slick coating in the pan.
Sprinkle on salt and pepper, stream the remaining 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil over the top, put the bell back and bury it in embers. Let it cook without disturbance for 40 minutes.
Remove the bell and shift the potatoes and vegetables to the pan's base; set the octopus above them and add the white wine. Cover with embers once more and cook 35 to 40 minutes longer, until the octopus yields easily to a skewer and the potatoes have golden edges.
Allow the covered peka to stand 10 minutes off the heat before bringing the pan to the table. Check the seasoning, add salt if needed, and serve straight from the pan.
Regional variant: Lamb under the bell (janjetina ispod peke)
For lamb under the bell (janjetina ispod peke), swap in a 4 lb (1.8 kg) bone-in lamb shoulder or leg. Rub it with olive oil, salt, pepper, sweet paprika and chopped rosemary and let it sit at least 2 hours. Set the meat over quartered potatoes, onions and carrots, tuck in a few small pieces of pancetta or lard, and cook under the bell for 1½–2 hours. Turn the lamb once and pour in white wine at the halfway point; finish when the meat falls easily from the bone.
Cook's notes
- Without a bell or open fire, roast in a large cast-iron Dutch oven at 400°F (200°C): cover and cook 15 minutes; drain; season; cover and cook 40 minutes; rearrange; add wine; cover and cook 35–40 minutes more.
- Thaw frozen octopus in the refrigerator overnight; it performs well here. Hold back the salt until after the first liquid is poured off, since the octopus itself gives up salty juices.
- Keep the lid or bell in place as much as possible; the steam held inside is what softens the octopus.
Serve with
Bring crusty bread and a salad of tomatoes and onions to the table; pour white wine with octopus peka or red with the lamb version.
Make ahead and storage
The dish is at its best straight from the tray; keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and warm them gently with a little water or wine.
Questions cooks ask
What is hobotnica in English?
Hobotnica is the Croatian word for octopus. This recipe, hobotnica ispod peke, uses one whole octopus of about 4 lb (1.8 kg), cleaned with the beak and eyes removed, cooked with potatoes, onions, carrots and garlic under a bell.
Is hobotnica the same as oktopod?
Both words mean octopus. Hobotnica is the Croatian name used for this dish, while oktopod is the term used in some other Slavic languages. The recipe itself calls the ingredient hobotnica and cooks it under a peka bell with potatoes and vegetables.
How is hobotnica different from lignja?
Hobotnica is octopus, while lignja is squid. This recipe uses a whole octopus of about 4 lb (1.8 kg), cooked long and slowly under a bell for a total of roughly 75 to 80 minutes of cooking after the first 15-minute drain, until it yields easily to a skewer.
How is hobotnica different from sipa?
Hobotnica is octopus and sipa is cuttlefish. The recipe calls for one whole octopus, about 4 lb (1.8 kg), cleaned with beak and eyes removed, then cooked under a bell with potatoes, onions, carrots, garlic, olive oil and white wine.
How is hobotnica different from muzgavac?
Hobotnica is octopus, while muzgavac is a type of small squid. This recipe uses a whole octopus of about 4 lb (1.8 kg), cleaned and cooked under a bell with potatoes and vegetables, then rested 10 minutes off the heat before serving from the pan.
