- published: 22 Jul 2014
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Polbo á feira (Galician name literally meaning "fair style octopus") alternatively known as polbo estilo feira and pulpo á galega is a traditional Galician dish.
This dish is prepared by first boiling the octopus inside a copper cauldron. Before actually boiling it, the octopus is repeatedly dipped in and out of the boiling water, held by its head. The objective of this operation is to curl the tips of the tentacles. The tentacles are preferred over the head, which sometimes is discarded. The tendrils are sometimes best cherished by children. After the octopus has been boiled, it is trimmed with a scissors, sprinkled with coarse salt and paprika (pemento picante) and drizzled with olive oil. The optimal cooking point is the one in which octopus is not rubbery but not overcooked either, similarly to the al dente concept in Italian pasta cooking. This is achieved after approximately a 20 minutes boil, provided that the octopus is left to rest for a further 20 minutes inside the boiled water away from the fire.