Discover the Apulian tradition of curled octopus, a custom originating in Bari that enhances its flavor. A unique experience to experience and learn.
Bari is famous for its fishing, and the octopus is undoubtedly the king of seafood in the Bari Adriatic. It is found in abundance in its waters and is relatively easy to catch. It can be found in almost every restaurant in the area. This is where the ancient and widespread tradition of the curled octopus comes in.
It is an almost poetic gesture, a true art, to be learned and practised. And, to tell the truth, it is by no means simple. The gestures to be performed are many, complex and prolonged. A manual curling process can take up to two hours and is composed of several steps, each with its own methods and purpose.
Curled octopus: between history and tradition
The practice of octopus curling boasts ancient origins, deeply rooted in the culinary tradition of Bari and the coastal towns of Puglia. Historical documents attest that this technique dates back to the fourth century B.C., described as early as Aristotle's Historia Animalium. Over time, the ritual has been kept alive, becoming a symbol of local culture and passed down from generation to generation.
This method celebrates precisely the relationship between the sea and fishermen. Even today it is common to see fishermen engaged in this art at 'ndèrr-a la lanze, Bari's marina, an iconic place to enjoy raw fish and observe ancient techniques.
The curling
The first phase of the process is the most emblematic: the slamming. It is precisely the traditional image of the fisherman who slams the octopus on the rocks. He continues not only until to kill it, but above all until the tentacles are relaxed and softened. Otherwise, for a natural defensive attitude of the prey, they would remain contracted, hardened and therefore little appetizing. Once cleaned of the entrails, he starts to hit him with a wooden scoop flat. This is usefull to remove any residues and the reddish color of the octopus. In this way it will be created a foam, which will be eliminated with the third phase, that is by rubbing the octopus on the rock and rinsing it with sea water. In the last step, the octopus is dipped in a basin of water (always sea!) and cradled by constantly shaking the container. So the tentacles will roll on themselves forming "curls" and eventually resulting soft and crunchy at the same time. That’s why we’re talking about curled octopus.
Discover Bari's streed food❯Enjoy your meal!
But what is the best way to eat this delicious octopus? What questions, raw of course! The whole process of curling is done on purpose to enjoy this food to its full potential: crispy, soft and tasty. And this is exactly how Bari honors the tradition of octopus, as indeed do most locally caught fish.
For the past few years in Bari the most fashionable aperitif is precisely beer and raw octopus 'n gann a mar, that is, sitting blissfully on the rocks. This does not mean that there are not typical recipes, perhaps more suitable for “less courageous” palates. In addition to the classic seafood salad, now popular throughout Italy, octopus can be boiled, or cooked in a pan stew with tomato and basil.
Another very typical local cooking is grilled octopus. Eating an octopus sandwich on the waterfront is a must. You can find it during the warm season for about 5€ at the barbecues right in front of the fishermen. Freshly curled octopus is laid on the grill and roasted thoroughly, then served in excellent Apulian bread. Basically we are talking about organic street food at km 0. Enjoy!
