Octopus vol-au-vent with mashed potato.

Elaboration:

1. Prepare the mashed potatoPeel the potatoes and boil them in a pot with water and salt until tender (about 20 minutes). Drain, mash with a potato masher or fork and mix with the cream, butter and a pinch of salt. Set aside hot.
2. Skip the octopusIn a frying pan, heat the olive oil with the sliced garlic clove. When the garlic is golden brown, remove it and add the octopus slices. Sauté for 2-3 minutes and sprinkle with the paprika. Stir to infuse the flavours and remove from the heat.
3. Heating the vol-au-ventsPreheat the oven to 180 °C. Place the vol-au-vents on a baking tray and heat them for 5 minutes to restore their crispy texture.
4. AssemblyFill each vol-au-vent with a generous base of hot mashed potato. Place the slices of octopus sautéed and drizzled with the paprika oil from the pan.
5. PresentationServe the vol-au-vents on individual plates garnished with an additional drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and, if desired, a few leaves of fresh parsley.

Suggestions for presentation:

• Serve with a fresh green salad.
• Garnish with a sprinkling of paprika around the plate for a striking visual effect.

Additional advice:

• You can use octopus canned if you don't have fresh cooked octopus on hand.
• For an extra touch, mix the puree with a little grated Parmesan cheese.
• Make sure the vol-au-vents are hot when serving to enjoy their crunchy texture.