Octopus Sandwich (Panino col Polpo)
Panino col polpo Say it: pah-NEE-noh kohl POHL-poh
Panino col polpo is Bari's beloved octopus sandwich, a street-food staple eaten by the Adriatic. A whole octopus is gently simmered with aromatics until tender, then grilled or seared until the edges char and crisp. The warm, meaty pieces are piled into a round roll with good olive oil, lemon and parsley. It tastes bright, briny and smoky all at once, with a tender-chewy contrast against the crusty bread. It is simple, rustic and deeply satisfying.
Octopus Sandwich (Panino col Polpo)
Panino col polpo
Pronounced pah-NEE-noh kohl POHL-poh
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, shellfish, celery. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the octopus
For the sandwich
Method
In a large pot, combine 4 quarts (3.8 L) water, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, peppercorns and fine sea salt; bring to a boil.
Holding the octopus by the head, dip the tentacles into the boiling water three times, then lower the whole octopus into the pot. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, partly covered, until a skewer slides easily into the thickest part of a tentacle, 45–60 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the octopus cool in its cooking liquid for 20 minutes. Lift it out, drain, and cut the tentacles away from the head; discard the head or reserve for another use.
Heat a grill pan or heavy skillet over high heat until smoking. Brush the octopus pieces with olive oil. Grill the tentacles for 2–3 minutes per side, until charred and crisp in spots.
Transfer to a cutting board and slice into bite-size pieces. In a bowl, toss with the 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and a generous pinch of flaky salt and pepper.
Warm the rolls briefly in the still-hot pan or a low oven. Split each roll, drizzle the inside with a little olive oil, and fill with the octopus mixture. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Regional variants
Some street stalls add a spoonful of tomato sauce or a few capers, and the filling is also served on focaccia barese.
Cook's notes
- Frozen cleaned octopus is often more tender; thaw it overnight in the fridge.
- Don’t skip the three dips: it helps the tentacles curl and cook evenly.
- The cooking liquid makes a light fish stock; strain and freeze for risotto or pasta.
Serve with
Serve with a chilled Italian lager or a crisp white wine.
Make ahead and storage
The octopus can be simmered and cooled up to 1 day ahead; grill and assemble just before serving.
