Ingredients

• 1 kg Whole octopus
• 400 g Paccheri pasta
• 300 g Cherry tomatoes
• 1 piece Red onion
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 150 ml Dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons Tomato paste
• 200 ml Fish broth
• 4 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 bunch Fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried red chili flakes (optional)
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black pepper
• 200 g Cherry tomatoes (for confit)
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil (for confit)
• 1 sprig Fresh thyme (for confit)
• 1 pinch Sugar (for confit)
• to taste Salt (for confit)

Instructions

1. 1

   **Prepare the confit tomatoes:** Halve the cherry tomatoes, arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, add thyme, a pinch of sugar, and salt. Bake in a preheated oven at 120°C (250°F) for 1h30 to 2h, until slightly shriveled and concentrated in flavor. Set aside.

2. 2

   **Prepare the octopus:** Clean the octopus, removing the beak and eyes. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Dip the octopus three times in a row for a few seconds to "shock" the tentacles, then let it simmer gently for about 45-60 minutes, or until tender (check with a fork). Let it cool in its cooking water.

3. 3

   **Prepare the ragù:** Once cooled, cut the octopus into small pieces. In a large pan or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the finely chopped red onion and crushed (or minced) garlic. Sauté until translucent. Add chili flakes if desired.

4. 4

   **Assemble the ragù:** Add the octopus pieces and brown them lightly. Deglaze with white wine and reduce by half. Stir in the tomato paste and mix well. Add the fresh halved cherry tomatoes and fish broth (or hot water if you don't have broth). Simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and flavors have melded. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. 5

   **Cook the pasta:** While the ragù is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the paccheri al dente according to package instructions.

6. 6

   **Finish and serve:** Drain the paccheri and add them directly to the ragù pan. Mix well to coat the pasta with the sauce. Add the reserved confit tomatoes and half of the chopped fresh parsley. Stir gently. Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining fresh parsley.