Authors: Giada De Laurentiis
Everyday Italian (6 page)
The fresh, fruity flavors of olives and their oils will kick the palate into high gear. Here’s an easy way to tantalize your guests while you prepare the main courses: Set out a bowl of mixed olives. I love an assortment that’s been marinated in herbs and oils, which you can make yourself (recipe follows); or buy prepared olives at a gourmet food shop or supermarket. You can also infuse olive oil with herbs or other flavorings, such as the Chili-Infused Oil, Pinzimonio, and Rosemary-Infused Oil in this section. Serve them with chunks of rustic bread for dipping. And then, of course, there’s the whole wide world of tapenades, which have endless delicious variations. And in all of these olive and olive-oil recipes runs the undercurrent of flavors that will transport your taste buds to Italy, where olive trees adorn every landscape, and where the fruits of those trees adorn nearly every table. Make yours one of them.
For a quick and extremely easy antipasto, whip up this very simple recipe. You can use any single olive variety or combination you want; some are salty and briny, some fresh-tasting, some green or black or brown, some wrinkly and pungent, some smooth and mellow. I like a simple mix of one green and one black variety. This recipe can be made one week ahead and refrigerated.
MAKES 3 CUPS
| 3 | tablespoons olive oil |
| 1 | tablespoon grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons) |
| ½ | teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes |
| 1½ | cups Sicilian cracked green olives or other green olives |
| 1½ | cups kalamata olives |
| 3 | tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about ½ lemon) |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh basil |
In a Medium-Size,
heavy skillet, stir the oil, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes over medium heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the olives. Add the lemon juice and basil, and toss to coat. Transfer the olive mixture to a container. Cover and refrigerate to allow the flavors to blend, stirring occasionally, about 12 hours.
Bring the olive mixture to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Transfer the olive mixture to a small bowl and serve.
Tapenade with Endive Leaves
This recipe is all about assembly. And when you’re having people over at the last minute, having a dish like this on hand is key. You could also serve the tapenade with bread or crackers, instead of the lettuces, for a more portable snack. And tapenade can be made a day ahead, leaving you more time with your guests or family.
12 APPETIZER SERVINGS
| 3 | (8-ounce) jars of pitted kalamata olives or cans of black olives, drained |
| ¾ | cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil |
| 5 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
| 3 | heads of endive (about ½ pound total) |
| 6 | radicchio leaves |
In The Bowl of a Food Processor,
pulse the olives, sun-dried tomatoes with their oil, and the extra-virgin olive oil until well blended but still chunky. Spoon the tapenade into a serving bowl. (The tapenade can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Gently remove the leaves from the endive. Wash the leaves with cold water and dry completely.
On a large platter, place the bowl of tapenade in the center. Decoratively arrange the endive leaves and radicchio around the bowl of tapenade, and serve. (The platter of tapenade, endive, and radicchio leaves can be assembled up to 8 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
In the past few years, it’s become all the rage for restaurants to serve a little saucer of olive oil, instead of butter, for diners to dip their bread in while they have the
aperitivo
and wait for their first courses. This simple recipe is not only great for dipping, but can also be used to liven up the flavors in other dishes—as your cooking oil, or in salad dressing, or just drizzled over grilled fish or meat. It’ll keep in the fridge for a month.
MAKES ½ CUP
| ½ | cup olive oil |
| 1 | teaspoon dried crushed red pepper |
In a Small, Heavy Saucepan,
heat the oil and crushed red pepper flakes over a low flame, stirring occasionally, until a thermometer inserted into the oil registers 180 degrees F, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Transfer the oil and pepper flakes to a 4-ounce bottle or other small container and seal the lid. Refrigerate up to 1 month.
antipasti platter
When I want to have some friends over and keep it simple and have the freedom to sit back and relax, I like to put together an antipasti platter. I start with my favorite platters (oval in shape) and arrange some Italian deli meats such as salami, prosciutto, mortadella, and bresaola. Then I add some of my favorite cheeses, such as a wedge of asiago cheese, sliced provolone cheese, sliced fontina cheese, bocconcini (bite-size mozzarella), and even an herbed goat cheese. On another platter I arrange some fresh-cut vegetables, such as carrot sticks, celery sticks, assorted bell peppers, sliced fresh fennel, and some cherry tomatoes with Pinzimonio sauce. In small separate serving bowls, I like to set out
Marinated Olives
,
Sweet and Spicy Roasted Almonds
, and Roasted Bell Pepper Salad. And to finish it off I place some fresh focaccia (you could use your favorite bread) in a basket. This way, my guests can compose their own assortment of antipasti on their plates.
The word
pinzimonio
means “combination”—a very simple one of olive oil, salt, and pepper. It’s used as a dip for raw vegetables, served as an antipasto in the summer. Try it for the refreshing Italian variation on the tired old plate of crudités with gooky dip.
4 TO 6 APPETIZER SERVINGS
| ½ | cup olive oil |
| 2 | teaspoons salt |
| 1 | teaspoon freshly ground black pepper |
| Assorted cut-up fresh vegetables (such as carrots, celery, fennel bulb, radishes, red bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes) |
In a Small Bowl,
stir the oil, salt, and pepper to blend. (The oil mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep at room temperature.) Arrange the vegetables on a platter and serve with the dip.
ROASTED ALMONDS
The perfect snack food—sweet and spicy and crunchy and totally satisfying. The nuts can be made two days ahead; store airtight at room temperature.
MAKES 2 CUPS
| 2 tablespoons Chili-Infused Oil | |
| 1 | tablespoon sugar |
| 1 | teaspoon kosher salt |
| 2 | cups blanched whole almonds |
Preheat the Oven
to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, stir the oil, sugar, and salt to blend. Add the almonds, and toss to coat. Arrange the almond mixture on a large, heavy baking sheet, spacing the almonds evenly. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
This is a staple in my kitchen; it’s a fantastic flavoring agent that I can use at a moment’s notice. I even like to pop my popcorn in it (recipe follows). It could also be used for dipping breads or vegetables, or as the base of a salad dressing.
MAKES ½ CUP
| ½ | cup olive oil |
| 3 | fresh rosemary sprigs (each 5 inches long) |
In a Small,
heavy saucepan, combine the oil and rosemary. Cook over low heat until a thermometer inserted into the oil registers 180 degrees F, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Transfer the sprigs to a 4-ounce bottle or another small container, then add the oil. Seal the lid and refrigerate up to 1 month.
If you’re tired of buttered popcorn, try a new flavor. The rosemary oil makes this version elegant and sophisticated. I love it with
lots
of salt.
MAKES 8 CUPS
| ½ | cup popcorn kernels |
| 4 | tablespoons Rosemary-Infused Oil (above) |
| Salt |
In a Large,
heavy pot, stir the popcorn kernels and 3 tablespoons of the rosemary-infused oil. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the kernels have popped, shaking the pot halfway through cooking, about 3 minutes. Immediately transfer the popcorn to a large bowl. Toss the popcorn with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle with salt to taste, and serve.
Sandwiches in Italy are called
panini,
but they aren’t nearly as popular in Italy as they are here in the United States. Italians just don’t have the same type of eat-on-the-go culture as do Americans, for whom the quick-to-prepare, quick-to-consume, ultra-portable sandwich has become a national obsession. But still, Italians do have their specialty sandwiches, and here are recipes for some of their more original varieties.
