Chef Francesco Muscariello continues to make us dream by taking us on a journey through time with his stories of how "poor dishes" have become "rich" on the tables of Neapolitans and beyond, but all over the world.
Today, Chef Muscariello takes us back to 1734, to the beginning of the Bourbon dynasty of Naples and the Two Sicilies, the royal family that reigned over Southern Italy from 1734 to 1861.
The Bourbons, or, in plural, the Bourbons, are one of the most important and ancient ruling houses in Europe.
In 1734 Charles of Bourbon (King of Naples and Sicily from 1734 to 1759), son of Philip V of Spain and Elizabeth Farnese, conquered the Crowns of Naples and Sicily, restoring a united and sovereign kingdom.
Numerous were the works carried out and desired by the Bourbons for the Neapolitan people, such as the construction of the San Carlo Theatre, the Royal Palaces of Portici, Capodimonte and Caserta;
The opening of factories, such as the semi-precious stone factory in San Carlo alle Mortelle and the ceramic factory in Capodimonte.
They also began the excavations at Herculaneum and Pompeii and highlighted the tradition of the Neapolitan nativity scene.
There is much more to mention, but let's focus on the simple Neapolitan dishes reworked to be served on the tables of sovereigns.
The charismatic chef Francesco Muscariello explains that the cuisine of the Bourbons was, of course, a regal, noble cuisine, rich in history and, at the same time, "peasant" with simple and genuine ingredients that were prepared for the dishes intended for the nobles.
The Bourbons favored a fusion between Neapolitan and French cuisine, achieving spectacular and tasty results.
Chef Muscariello, however, also explains to us that, little by little, the French and even Spanish culinary inspirations were put aside thanks to a truly Neapolitan identity;
Like "octopus Luciana" which, at the time, was the dish that opened the royal appetizer.
"Polpi alla Luciana", says the chef, is a dish born in the seaside village of Santa Lucia, a famous district of Naples, close to Castel dell'Ovo, in the San Ferdinando district.
The inhabitants of this village, known as "Luciani" (from whom the dish takes its name), were skilled fishermen, especially octopus fishermen. They were also renowned for their ability to cook their catch in a simple yet extremely tasty way.
In the evening, once they returned home after a long day of work, they used to cook the octopus they had just caught in the sea water.
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The original recipe for octopus Luciana style
In the original recipe, the octopus was cooked without tomato puree and without black olives (they were not yet in use in kitchens).
The octopus was roughly chopped and placed in a saucepan covered with a damp cloth and cooked slowly for a long time to soften it; water was not added or the lid opened during cooking. This process likely gave rise to the saying "o' purp s'adda cocere rint' all'acqua soja!" (Octopus should be cooked in soy water!)
Over time, tomatoes were added to make the soup even more flavorful; this dish, served to the royals as an appetizer, had to be piping hot and with the addition of cooking broth, the so-called "bror 'e purp" ... but it was also used as a sauce for spaghetti or linguine.
Chef Muscariello also explains that, over time, smaller and smaller octopuses were used to ensure increasingly tender meat; in fact, these genuine "purpetielli" were placed in a pan completely "immersed" in cherry tomato sauce; hence, they are commonly called "purpetielli affugat."
The reinterpretation of the dish by chef Muscariello
Chef Muscariello delights us with his "octopus Luciana"...so we need 1kg of real octopus, 500g of cherry tomatoes, 1 clove of garlic, 100g of black olives (pitted), a handful of desalted capers, parsley, salt, pepper, a little chili pepper and extra virgin olive oil.
To prepare this wonderful dish, simply clean the octopus thoroughly and rinse it under running water. Place it, head-up, in a pan and cook it with a little oil, a little chili pepper, pepper, and a pinch of garlic. Once browned, lower the heat and continue cooking for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a pan, add a couple of garlic cloves, and sauté them, adding the halved cherry tomatoes and salt. Cook for 20 minutes. Once the octopus is cooked, add the olives and parsley, then add the cherry tomatoes and cook for another 20 minutes.
Our "octopus Luciana" is ready...chef Muscariello reminds us that, to make our octopus even more beautiful and delicious, we can serve it on croutons and eat this delicacy with gusto and pleasure.
Valeria Barbaraci
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