Ingredients for 6 people:

2 big octopuses weighing about 700 g each, 
“verace” (pure) quality with two flanked suckers
 5 garlic cloves                                                       
 1 laurel leaf                                                        
 rosemary and parsley                                              
 hot pepper                                  
 ½ spoonful of cumin seeds                                         
 salt                                                                       
 ½ glass of olive oil

Preparation:

Big octopuses are called “veraci” by Neapolitans owing their unique true sea taste. Clean the octopuses, remove the eyes, the mouth, the little inner bladder with the black liquid. With the point of a small knife cut into the membrane for easy removal. Put octopuses on a board and pound them vigorously to make them soften up well. Wash in running water until their colour appears vividly white. Don’t dry them. Put octopuses in an earthenware pot, seasoned with oil and flavoured with minced garlic, laurel and cumin. Seal the pot hermetically, putting a sheet of oiled baking paper under the lid, tied around the pot mouth with thread. Leave them over a low flame, the cooking time ranging from one to two hours, according to the octopus size. When cooked and soft, drain them and dress with oil, salt, chopped hot pepper, rosemary leaves and parsley. Serve the dish in a crock.