Octopus with Orzo Pasta (Manestra) is a beloved Greek summery dish. Succulent octopus cooked in its own juices with fresh tomato and aromatic spices. Who said Manestra can only be prepared with meat and not Molluscs? Here you will find my traditional homemade Manestra recipe with Octopus. This recipe is very famous during the summer months in Greece for obvious reasons!
How do I clean Octopus?
Cleaning the octopus is easy if you follow some crucial steps. Start by cutting the sac or tummy of the octopus off. Turn it inside out and remove the internal organs. This is where the ink sac is present. Take care when removing it so that you don’t break it. Continue by removing the beak which is in the middle, underneath the tentacles and the eyes.
How long should I boil Octopus for?
In a large pot, over medium heat, place the octopus and boil it for 45-50minutes. Remember to add vinegar and red wine along with spices. There is no need to add water as the octopus will exude its own juices.
How do I prepare this Octopus with Orzo Pasta (Manestra)?
Preparing this summery Octopus with Orzo Pasta dish is quite easy. Start by cleaning and preparing the octopus (see section above). Place the octopus in a pot along with onion, vinegar, red wine, bay leaves and allspice. Boil the octopus over medium heat for 45-50 minutes. There is no need to add extra water or salt in the pot. The octopus will exude its own liquids. Once the octopus is boiled. Remove it and keep the flavoursome juices. Add enough water so that you end up with roughly 950mls of juices. Lightly sautee the second onion with paprika and black pepper. Carry in by adding the orzo pasta, fresh tomato, tomato paste and stir. Lastly add the flavoursome Octopus juices, season with salt and let the orzo pasta boil for 8 minutes. Just before the orzo pasta is ready add the octopus pieces in the pot and stir.
What can I serve this Octopus with Orzo pasta (Manestra) Dish?
You can serve this succulent Octopus dish with a Traditional Greek Feta Salad (Horiatiki).
If you love Manestra, try my Chicken with Orzo Recipe (Manestra) recipe.
