Time: 1 ora e 40 minuti
Difficulty: media

A second summer dish that combines the pleasure of vegetables with the sea, let's enjoy the octopus in a very very good cake!

Characteristics:
Octopus are cephalopod molluscs, similar to octopuses but smaller in size. They are widespread in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, living mainly on sandy and rocky seabeds. They have a soft body, eight arms with suckers and a relatively large head compared to the body.
Octopus are rich in proteins, vitamins (especially B12) and minerals such as iron, copper and selenium. They are low in fat and calories, which makes them a healthy and nutritious food.
historical notes:
To trace the roots of this dish, we must dive into the past centuries, when the coastal communities, overlooking the splendid Mediterranean Sea, began to hunt and cook these delicious molluscs. The first dishes based on baby octopus in a stew were created with passion and ingenuity by local fishermen, eager to transform the fresh catch into an unforgettable culinary experience
note:
Among the national varieties, the most prized is the Muschiato or Mughetto because it emanates a smell that recalls that of moss. For frying, the Fragolino variety is preferred as the meat remains more tender.

Ingredients for 6 people

For the pie:
500 g cauliflower
60 g mix for bread and focaccia molino dalla Giovanna
1 leek
1 dl dry white wine
4 eggs
100 g grated parmesan
50 g grated pecorino romano
1 dl fresh cream
180 g quinoa seeds
fine salt
For the potato cream:
2 shallots
3 potatoes
1 l vegetable broth
For the octopus:
150 g octopus
125 g peeled tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 dl dry white wine
1 sprig of parsley
extra virgin olive oil
fine salt
black peppercorns

Prepare the pie:
Wash the cauliflower, divide it into florets, trim the leek, remove the outer leaves and slice it thinly.
Fry it in a non-stick pan with 2 tablespoons of oil for 2 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets, let them flavour, then add the wine and let it evaporate over a high flame; cook until completely cooked, adding the necessary water, then season with salt and pepper.
At the end, remove the cauliflower with a slotted spoon, draining it well; transfer it to a tall, narrow glass and blend it with the immersion blender. Add the shelled eggs, cream and cheeses, and the bread mix, then blend again. Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer, rinse it carefully and cook it in boiling water for about 15 minutes; drain it, drain it and add it to the cauliflower mixture. Divide the preparation into individual molds, first well buttered and floured, and cook in a hot oven at 160 °C adding 1 finger of water in the pan for about 30 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the potato cream. Peel the shallots, chop them and brown the resulting mixture in a medium-small saucepan with 2 tablespoons of oil; cook for 1 minute over medium heat, then add the peeled, washed and very thinly sliced ​​potatoes. Moisten with half of the boiling broth and cook until completely cooked, seasoning with salt and pepper at the end; at the end, blend the preparation with an immersion blender and keep warm.
Prepare the octopus. Separate the sac from the tentacles, then cut off the eyes from the first and the beak, located in the center, from the second. Remove the innards contained in the sac, then carefully wash the sacs and tentacles under running water, and cut everything into regular pieces.
Peel the garlic cloves, chop them with the washed parsley and brown them in a pan with 2 tablespoons of oil; add the octopus and cook them until they have released all the liquid inside them. Then add the wine, let it evaporate over a high heat, then add the peeled tomatoes crushed with a fork and 2 dl of water. Cook for about 40 minutes, adjusting the salt and pepper at the end of cooking.
When ready to serve, unmold a flan onto individual plates; cover it with the potato cream and accompany it with the baby octopuses.
Garnish as desired with a few slices of potato, steamed, and serve.