Octopus in the Sardinian Way

Octopus is one of the few meats improved by freezing. It can be rubbery when fresh, even when cooked with patience. Introducing it to a minus-zero temperature breaks down its obstinate cell structure, so I would advise freezing it before use if you know it is fresh - 48 hours should do the trick.

Susanah, a tiny, twinkling Italian matriarch who has fed me often and well, presented a happy table with this dish on one of my holidays to Sardinia. Among her other delights were such thin