Polpo alla Luciana

The first useful thing to know about this dish is that you add no water. The octopus cooks in its own liquid, releasing moisture as it braises, creating a sauce that tastes intensely of the sea. Neapolitan fishermen's wives understood this. They had octopus, tomatoes, a few olives, some capers. They had patience. That was enough.

Polpo alla Luciana comes from Santa Lucia, the waterfront neighborhood of Naples where fishing boats once lined the shore. The women who waited for their husbands to return knew how to transform the catch into something worth coming home to. They used terra cotta pots called pignatielli, sealed tight to trap every drop of liquid the octopus surrendered.

Americans think octopus is restaurant food, something complicated and impressive. In Naples, it is Tuesday dinner. The technique requires nothing but time and a heavy pot with a lid that seals properly. Simple does not mean easy, but this comes close.