ligurian oil

Italy is known worldwide for its diverse cooking traditions. Varying from region to region as you travel from the top of the boot to the toe, you’ll find unique specialties to try in each place you stop along the way. However, there are a few staples that bind together these countless local and regional dishes that form what we call La Cucina Italiana, one of the most fundamental elements being extra virgin olive oil. Without “EVOO” any Italian kitchen (including Rachael Ray’s!) would come to a grinding halt. This love of olive oil is what drives Italy’s Olive Culture, and the hard work of the yearly Olive Harvest and Pressing that we’ve talked about over the past few weeks here on The italyMONDO! Blog. But now that Italy’s fresh oils are coming off the (cold) presses, how should you use it in your kitchen?

No matter where you travel in Italy today, you will find olive oil an important part of Italian cooking. But it wasn’t all that long ago that its popular use was limited mostly to the central and southern regions of Italy, as well as the islands of Sicily and Sardinia, where the warmer climate offered the ideal growing environment for olive trees. (Even today the southern regions of Puglia and Calabria are Italy’s top olive oil producers). The northern regions of Italy instead depended more on butter for their cooking fat, developing a dairy culture as opposed to the southern olive culture. You’ll actually find this geographic and gastronomical anomaly reflected in two of the simplest dishes still served in the two regions. In the north you’ll find pasta al burro (pasta with butter) while in the south it will be pasta all’ aglio e olio (pasta with garlic and oil). The staples of millions of peasants for centuries, these were the simplest, quickest and most economical dishes that could be made with the ingredients available, and ironically is now often served in many of the best restaurants in the country.

Olive oil is used in countless ways in southern Italian cooking, and it is safe to say that without it you won’t go far past the antipasto without it. It is the base for almost every pasta sauce, and is used for frying all types of vegetables as well as those tasty arancini (rice balls) and polpette (meatballs) that nonna used to make. It is drizzled over salads, both raw and roasted vegetables as well as fish and meats. You will even find it used to preserve tuna and anchovies! A piping hot dish of pasta e fagioli (pasta with beans) wouldn’t be complete without a little crude olive oil drizzled over the top. Even better, add some peperoncino (chili pepper) flakes to the oil and let the spicy flavors blend together, creating a popular southern Italian condiment often simply known as “forte” (strong). Anyone who has visited the region of Calabria can attest to the merits of the name!

Olive oil is used in countless ways in southern Italian cooking, and it is safe to say that without it you won’t go far past the antipasto without it. It is the base for almost every pasta sauce, and is used for frying all types of vegetables as well as those tasty arancini (rice balls) and polpette (meatballs) that nonna used to make.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when cooking with olive oil is to remember that a particular oil might not be suitable for every recipe you’re cooking up. Just as a great bottle of Chianti won’t be the perfect accompaniment for every dish, you must carefully select your olive oil to make the most of your Italian meal. The decision is difficult, though, as olive oils come in a variety of colors and flavors and not one can be described as “the best.” The decision depends more upon your personal taste and how the oil will be used. A light olive oil with a subtle flavor won’t overpower the delicate baked fish dish, and a spicier or even pleasantly bitter oil might be the perfect finishing touch for your salad. If possible, taste your olive oil before buying to see if it has a good aroma and flavor and aftertaste that appeals to you. At home, experiment with different combinations of new oils, keeping in mind that you might have more than one in the house for different types of cooking.

While a bottle of artisan-made olive oil may be more expensive than the large, industrial-made varieties, one taste of the fresh flavors will quickly convert you. Drizzled over fresh salads, bread, pasta (and just about everything else!), olive oil is truly an essential ingredient of Italian cooking and one worth experiencing at its best. Visit The italyMONDO! Blog again next Friday for more tips on buying and storing your olive oil, and a handy olive oil vocabulary list so you’ll be ready to discover the freshest olio d’oliva during your travels in Italy.

Photo Courtesy of “Chez Pim” at Flickr