Polvo a lagareiro
Photo: Exilexi · CC BY 4.0

History

Polvo a lagareiro takes its name from the lagareiros, the men who pressed the olive oil in central Portugal. The traditional preparation pours the new-pressing oil generously over the boiled-then-roasted octopus, and the dish travelled to Lisbon menus as the most-ordered fish course outside of bacalhau.

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Common allergens: Molluscs

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 2 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1 octopus, 1.5kg, cleaned
  • 12 small new potatoes, skin on
  • 1 onion, halved
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 garlic cloves, smashed but whole
  • 200ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • Flaky salt, black pepper, chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method

  1. Plunge the octopus three times into boiling water (with onion and bay), then leave it to simmer 45 to 60 minutes until tender to a knifepoint.
  2. Boil the potatoes whole in their skin 20 minutes until cooked, drain.
  3. Smash the potatoes flat with the heel of your palm, just cracking them open.
  4. Lay octopus and potatoes in a roasting tin, scatter the smashed garlic over.
  5. Pour the olive oil generously across everything, season with flaky salt.
  6. Roast at 220C for 20 minutes until octopus skin is crisp and potatoes are golden. Finish with parsley.

Tip from the editors. If you can buy octopus pre-frozen, do it. The freezing breaks down the connective tissue and saves you the tenderising step.

Where to eat polvo a lagareiro

Polvo a lagareiro in Lisbon

Cervejaria Ramiro ★ 4.7

€€ SeafoodIntendenteUntil Tue-Sun until 00:30

Cervejaria Ramiro in Lisbon: the canonical late-night seafood hall on Avenida Almirante Reis, last orders 00:30, prego no pao the traditional closer.

TryGoose barnacles and prego no pao

Directions

Tasquinha do Lagarto ★ 4.6

€€ Portuguese TascaCampolide

Tasquinha do Lagarto in Lisbon's Campolide: a 1973 family tasca with Sporting Lisbon shirts on the walls, atum cebolada and baked octopus to share.

OrderPolvo a lagareiro, baked octopus with potatoes, garlic and olive oil.

Directions

Cervejaria Liberdade ★ 4.4

€€€ Portuguese Seafood and MeatAvenida

Cervejaria Liberdade in Lisbon: a polished seafood hall inside the Tivoli Avenida, Berlenga gooseneck barnacles, Algarve prawns and Aveiro oysters daily.

OrderAlgarve red prawns and a glass of Soalheiro Alvarinho.

Directions Book

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