Spaghetti quadrati with moscardini

A few simple ingredients and a very easy preparation for a first course fit for kings. Square spaghetti with musky octopus sauce is a dish from the oldest Mediterranean tradition that always amazes for its simplicity of execution and extraordinary flavour, the result of the union of three characteristic elements of good Italian cooking: pasta, tomato and sea food.

PREPARATION: Clean and rinse the musky octopus well, divide them into 4 parts and leave some whole for serving. Fry the crushed garlic in 3 tablespoons of oil, as soon as it is browned remove it, add the musky octopus, fry, deglaze with white wine and add the tomato purée,which you can also replace with peeled tomatoes. Season with salt, add the desired amount of chilli pepper and cover with a lid, cooking on a low flame for about 40 minutes so that the sauce becomes dark and thick, just like a meat sauce.

When cooked, remove the lid and leave to rest for a few minutes, keeping the musky octopus aside. Add salt and bring the water to the boil, cook the spaghetti for 12 minutes or 10 if you prefer them al dente. Drain them and allow them to take on flavour in the sauce. Add the musky octopus that you have set aside and turn off the heat.

Liguori's tip
Drain the pasta about two minutes beforehand, add two tablespoons of cooking water and stir for two minutes. This way the spaghetti will bind even better to the sauce. Serve the spaghetti with a handful of freshly chopped parsley and a whole musky octopus on each plate.