Xtapodi Stifado- Nikos' Traditional Greek Octopus Recipe

This succulent dish resembles a warm, comforting stew and is bursting with cinnamon flavor.

The simple combination of tomatoes, onions and garlic complements the octopus perfectly and leaves a sweet taste in your mouth. I plan on using the leftover sauce with some lentils in order to re-create another fabulous dish for lunch tomorrow! The house smells wonderful :)

Nikos' Xtapodi Stifado

1 kilo of octopus

1 Kilo whole small onions (peeled)

2 cups pulped fresh tomatoes (or canned chopped stewed tomatoes)

2 clove of garlic

1 regular onion (sliced into small pieces)

1/2 cup of olive oil

1 cup of vinegar

1 cinnamon stick

Salt/Peppar to taste

2 laurel leaves

1. Boil the octopus in a saucepan with enough water to cover it and the vinegar for 20-25 minutes.

2. Remove the octopus from the boiling water and slice it into 3-4 cm thick pieces (save 2 1/2 cup of the boiling water for later).

3. Use a cast iron skillet to sauté the whole small onions in extra virgin olive oil until brown and then add the sliced octopus and the sliced onion.

4. Add the tomatoes and stir for about 4-5 minutes.

5.Add the saved (above) boiled water, sea salt, pepper and spice together with the cinnamon and the laurel leaves for extra flavor and boil it on low heat for about 40 min.