Fettuccine pasta with octopus and porcini mushroom sauce

To prepare fettuccine with octopus and porcini, start by cleaning the latter: with a knife, remove the soil from the base 1, then clean both the stem and cap with a dry cloth 2. It's not advisable to wash the mushrooms as they might absorb water. If they are very dirty with soil, you can give them a quick rinse under a gentle stream of water. Cut the porcini into slices about 1/4 inch thick 3.

In a saucepan, pour a drizzle of olive oil 4 and sauté a whole peeled garlic clove and the chili pepper 5. Add the sliced porcini mushrooms 6,

and also pour in the peeled pear tomatoes 7; add the tomato paste 8, the bay leaf 9,

extend with water 10 and, as soon as it approaches a boil, add the whole octopus (we used an already eviscerated and cleaned octopus) 11 and let it cook uncovered for at least an hour. Adjust the salt 12.

Flavor with thyme leaves 13. After the hour of cooking 14, bring water to a boil in a large pot and add salt once boiling. Then drain the octopus from the sauce, transfer it to a cutting board 15.

and cut it into pieces of 1/2 to 1 inch 16. Transfer the sauce into the saucepan where you will dress your pasta and add the octopus pieces; but first, remember to remove the garlic 17. Continue to cook the sauce on low heat for about 10-15 minutes to thicken it (it should be fluid, not watery). Cook the pasta for the time indicated on the package 18,

then drain it in the saucepan with the sauce 19, mix well 20, and serve it steaming garnished with more thyme leaves 21.