Antipasti with Olives
(“Antipasti di Olive”)
Olives are produced all over Sicily. In fact Sicily produces such a large amount of olives that it produces over 80% of the olive oil manufactured in Italy. The olives grown in Catania are colossal and the production is mostly used to be consumed in salads as an appetizer or stuffed with roasted red pepper and capers.
Here are a few tasty antipasti, easy and fast to make.
Black Olives Salad Musco Style
("Olive Nere Condite" - "Alivi Nivuri Cunzati alla Musco")
(Angelo Musco was a Sicilian comedian very famous before the II World War.)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. black olives rinsed.
- 2 cloves of garlic, whole
- zest of 1 orange
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 oz. anise seeds
- ½ cup of olive oil
- black pepper and red crushed pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients, and after a few hours, serve at room temperature.
Fried Black Olives
(" Olive Nere Fritte" - "Alive Fritte")
- 1 lb. salted black olives, rinsed and placed in a colander
- 2 cloves of crushed garlic
- 3 tablespoons of vinegar
- ½ cup of olive oil
- ½ teaspoon of oregano
Pat dry olives with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Place olives, garlic and oil in a large frying pan and sauté over a medium heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, pour the vinegar and mix.
Serve hot or cold and garnish with the oregano.
Green Olives Salad
(“Olive Verdi Schiacciate” – Alivi Bianchi Cunzati”)
- 1 Lb. olives rinsed and cracked to eliminate the pits
- 1 cup diced celery
- 2 cloves of crushed garlic
- ½ cup of olive oil
- 3 tablespoons of vinegar
- black pepper, red crushed pepper, and oregano to taste
- abundant chopped parsley
- add sliced red onions for extra zest
Mix all ingredients, and if possible let it stand a few hours to exchange the taste of the various ingredients.
Variation
In Syracuse the Olive Ammaccate are made with crackled green olives, red crushed pepper, garlic, olive oil and crushed fennel’s seeds.
Black Olives Salad
(“Olive Nere Condite” – “Alivi Nivuri Cunzati”)
- 1 lb. black olives, rinsed
- 2 cloves of diced garlic
- ½ cup of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of vinegar
- black pepper, red crushed pepper, and oregano to taste
Mix all ingredients, and serve at room temperature.
Variation
You can add sliced red onions, and /or roasted peppers.
