Octopus with Mastiha & Orzo
Slow-braised octopus with orzo pasta and the haunting flavor of Chios mastic
⏱
15 min
Prep
🍳
90 min
Cook
👥
4
Serves
📊
Medium
Difficulty
This is the signature dish of the Chios coastal taverna — octopus slowly braised in wine and tomato until impossibly tender, then finished with orzo pasta and a small amount of mastic resin that perfumes the entire dish with a subtle, extraordinary complexity. Simple ingredients, extraordinary result.
Ingredients
- 1 medium octopus (about 1kg), cleaned
- 250g orzo pasta
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 200ml dry red wine
- 400g crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp Chios mastic powder
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole allspice berries
- Bay leaf
- Olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley to finish
Method
- The key to tender octopus: do not add water. Place the cleaned octopus in a heavy pot over medium-low heat with the lid on. It will release its own liquid and cook in it. No oil, no water. Cook for 45 minutes.
- When the octopus is tender and has released about 200ml of liquid into the pot, remove it and cut into 4cm pieces. Reserve all the cooking liquid.
- In the same pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
- Add the wine and let it bubble and reduce by half. Add the crushed tomatoes, the reserved octopus liquid, cinnamon stick, allspice, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
- Return the octopus pieces to the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, partially covered.
- Add the mastic powder and the orzo. Stir well. Add a cup of hot water if needed — the orzo will absorb liquid as it cooks.
- Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 12-15 minutes until the orzo is al dente and the sauce has thickened to a rich, coating consistency.
- Remove the cinnamon stick, allspice, and bay leaf. Finish with fresh parsley and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.