Octopus with pasta

Octopus with pasta (Xtapodi me kofto makaronaki). First meal in our new house, finally with a table again! It was so nice to be able to sit around the table and enjoy a meal as a family in our new home. Recipe to follow. This is foolproof and so delicious. Comfort food at its finest! Plus kids love it.

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2lb (900g) octopus, cut into pieces
1/2 cup (125ml) cup olive oil
2 small red onions, cut into thin wedges
2-3 bay leaves
5 allspice berries
2 cups (475ml) passata
1/2 tsp sea salt
ground black pepper to taste
9 oz (250g) ditalini pasta
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Place octopus into a large saucepan. Cover, and cook over medium heat until the octopus has released its juices, 10 to 15 minutes. Continue simmering until the liquid has reduced to 3 to 4 tablespoons, 20 to 25 minutes.
Drizzle the octopus with olive oil, then stir in the onions, bay leaves and allspice. Cook and stir until the onions have softened, about 10 minutes. Add passata, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the octopus is tender and the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
You can stop here and serve the octopus in red sauce over pasta or with rice or fried potatoes. Or you can add additional water and cook the pasta right in the same pan. To do so: boil water in a tea kettle. Add about 2 cups boiling water to the octopus and increase heat to high. Once at a boil, add pasta. Cook at a rolling boil for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently so the pasta doesn’t stick. Add more hot water from the kettle only if needed. Once pasta is tender, remove from heat and let sit a minute before serving.