• Finely chop garlic
• Chop parsley
• Chop tomato in good sized pieces

1.  Bring the octopus to a boil (in water sprinkled with vinegar, and seasoned with bay leaf, thyme and pepper), and remove before it is fully cooked.

2.  Chop into little pieces.

3.  Saute a good quantity of onion cut in ring shapes, finely chopped garlic, plenty of parsley and add the octopus pieces.

4.  Simmer with red wine and add spices (pepper, allspice or coriander) and fresh tomato.

5.  There should be plenty of liquid in the hot pot, casserole or baking dish (depending on what you use) to which you add a handful of barley-shaped pasta (kritharaki) per serving.

• Be careful in case you need to add more water. The mixture should not be allowed to stick to the bottom and requires constant attention and stirring.