Olive Oil 101

Olive Oil 101

by Jason

Olive oil is used in everything in Italy! In the kitchen of course, but also can be used to coat squeaky hinges, fix equipment & cure many ailments. We live in the foothills of the Apennine Mountains so its a bit too cold to grow olives in our area however Cartoceto just a bit closer to the Adriatic Sea is famous for its fantastic olive oil.

I use 3 different types of olive oil in the kitchen

Number one - the every day good olive oil - its extra virgin, cold pressed unfiltered from Umbria. I buy this in 5 litre jugs and it’s excellent. It’s not very acidic or green in flavor, thus not overpowering in taste.

The second I use to finish dishes, this is our local olive oil from Cartoceto. It’s got a bit more bite to it, but not peppery. A beautiful color. This is used to finish a pasta dish or top a crostini - just when you need a drizzle.

The third I use for frying, sautéing & when lots of heat is added to the oil. For this I buy an economical name brand, extra virgin from the grocery store.

We are extremely lucky, we live in Italy, so olive oil, good olive oil, is found cheaper here than anything you can find in the States. For example, my ‘every day oil’ (which is better than anything I used in the States) is 7,50 Euro a liter. A bottle of extra virgin olive oil in the grocery store is 2,99 Euro! I once read that a family of four is expected to go through at least a litre of olive oil a week. It is part of everyday life.

How do I use my olive oils? Liberally.

It goes into almost everything. When I make an antipasta of raw vegetables (for example thinly sliced zucchini with just a drizzle of olive oil, salt & pepper) where there are very few ingredients & nothing is being cooked, I’ll use the ‘good stuff.’ If I’m sautéing veggies in a pan, my ‘everyday olive oil’ is perfect. And the fried zucchini blossoms get dunked in a more economical oil. This, I realize is not practical for most people. I would suggest using a normal store bought as your everyday bottle & spending a little money on something nice to finish your dishes. It doesn’t make sense to spend a lot of money on oil you are going to cook with. And you really never want to heat good olive oil.

If you are going to go out & spend twenty or thirty dollars on a bottle of oil you should be able to taste the oil first. I prefer bottles that are not very acidic or green tasting. But its really what you prefer. When you have an oil tasting, as with wine you can really taste the differences in all of them, from peppery to almost buttery & smooth. Each oil has it’s own personality & uniqueness. Remember the most expensive bottle is not necessarily the best and the fancy label & packaging doesn’t make it taste any better either.

As far as making dressings with oils, be careful because if you use a strongly flavored oil, it can be bitter in some cases. For me, the best salad dressing ever is a drizzle of olive oil, little vinegar & a crack of salt & pepper.

Olive oil doesn’t really like air or light when stored. Keep it in the cupboard in a bottle with an airtight lid if you are going to go through it slowly.

A good olive oil story…

This past fall we drove into Umbria to Citta di Castello for a Slow Food & White Truffle Festival. We ended up in a sample heaven of fresh pressed extra virgin olive oils! Ashley found it her duty to thoroughly try & retry each oil! It was a great way to taste the differences in over 20 different local oils. As we made our way around the room dunking hunks of bread into saucers filled with pools of the cloudy green life blood of Italy, in a room filled with frescos on the ceiling & admiring Italians arguing over which oil is best, we could taste fall and easily understand how these people are so passionate for the oil of an olive.

(You can read more: http://latavolamarche.blogspot.com/2008/11/sample-heaven.html)

Thursday Pizza Nite's

WOOD FIRED PIZZA - EVERY THURSDAY in July & August!

Join us at our Agriturismo as we fire up the outdoor wood burning oven, dine al'fresco in the garden & enjoy handmade pizzas, veggies/salad from our garden, dessert & a quarter litre of wine for 15 Euro!

Pizza making classes are available as well!


Reservations a must as space is limited!
call/text: 331.525.2753
email: info@latavolamarche.com


La Tavola Marche Agriturismo & Cooking School
Via Candigliano
Localita' Ca'Camone
Piobbico

Eating Your Way Through Le Marche ~ August 2009

Agosto - August, the end of summer yet the festivities continue & so does our series!

August 2008

Pesaro

Rossini Opera Festival - All month

Pesaro dulcis in centro - Wednesday to Friday

Evening shopping, concerts, exhibitions, entertainment for kids, creative workshops, food tastings, guided tours, culture walks, lectures & more.

Cinema sotto le stelle - Cinema under the stars

Macerata Feltria & Pesaro

Starting at 9pm

Acqualanga

Fiera regionale del tartufo d'estate - 1st weekend

Regional summer truffle festival, gastronomic specialties a

ll day in Piazza Mattei

Frontino

Il trionfo del tartufo nero - 1st Sunday

The triumph of the black truffle, convention, truffle market, gastronomic stands, arts & crafts, wine tastings, music, dancing & live entertainment in the old center

Gabicce Mare

Mercatino di prodotti naturali - Thursday & Sunday at 8:30pm

Natural products market at Gabicce Monte, Piazza Valbruna

Macerata Feltria

Mostra mercato di preziosi d'epoca - 1st weekend, Thursday - Sunday

Antiques market, jewellery, ornaments, lamps, lace, carpets, artists, muscians, gastronomic specialties, fashion show, vintage cars & motorcycles and more! Starts at 6:00pm

Montefelcino

Meractino del feudatario - 1st & 2nd Tuesday

Feudal market, evening time market of almost antiques, curiosities, collector's items, gastronomy, Renaissance costume procession, musical attractions and artistic exhibitions. Starting at 6pm in the old center.

Acqualagna

Fagiolata in Piazza

Bean soup in the town's main square at 8pm

0721.796741

Barchi

I sapori del castello - 1st weekend

Dishes from the past, cellars, crafts, choral & instrumental concerts, live entertainment & fireworks display. Starting at 6pm

Fano

Festa del mare - 1st weekend

Sea festival in the harbor area

Cantiano

Sagra del polentone alla carbonara - 1st Sunday

Polenta festival - over the grill - taste of local food & products starting at 4pm

Cantiano

Sagra del Tartufo - 2nd Saturday

Truffle festival at 4pm

Cagli

Giuoco dell'oca - 2nd Sunday

Historic revival with procession in costume and battles between the local districts - starting at 4pm

Apecchio

Casteldelci

Palio dei Comuni - 2nd Sunday

Inter-district feud and ancient games

Cagli

Festa dei 4 cantoni - 13th

Local district festival, tastes from the past in Pianello di Cagli

Sagra del bostregno - 14th & 15th

Bostregno festival - a local specialty in the afternoon in the old center

Belforte All'Isauro

Tombolone e ballo in piazza - 14th & 15th

Open air bingo & dancing in the town's main square

Borgo Pace

Sagra della Panzanella - 14th & 15th

Festival of panzanella - local bread

Orciano di Pesaro

Mercato antico di San Rocco - 17th & 23rd

The antique market of San Rocco, XIX century market with inns, merchants, minstrels, music, gastronomy & more - staring at 4pm in the old center

Cantiano

Sagra del cinghiale - 17th

Festival of the wild boar starting in the afternoon in San Crescentino

Cantiano

Sagra del gambero di fiume - 3rd Saturday

Crayfish from the river festival

Cantiano

Torneo della balestra "Le Rocche" - 3rd Sunday

Le Rocche crossbow tournament, gastronomic stands starting in the afternoon in the old center.

(San Leo)

San Leo

AlchimiaAlchimie - All day on the 26th

This event is a tribute to Giuseppe Balsamo, better known as Count Cagliostro a famous figure in the Masonic circles of the 18th century, who was imprisoned into the fortress of San Leo and died there on the 26th of August 1795. Live entertainment in the old center with lectures, dinner and a spectacular fireworks display from the fortress.

Apecchio

Ancoragosto - last Friday

End of summer festival at 10:00pm

Borgo Pace

Festa della patata rossa - last weekend

Red potato festival in Piazza del Pino

Of course there are tons more festivities, these are specifically for the Pesaro-Urbino area - all within an hour of our Agriturismo/farmhouse making for the perfect day trip into the Le Marche hill towns!

Summer Antipasta wtih Lemons - Limoni Cotti al Forno

Not only is this antipasta super simple, it is great for a party - a 2-bite taste explosion! Even if you think you don't like anchovies - give it a go!

Lemons Cooked in the Oven
Limoni Cotti al Forno

2 Large unwaxed lemons
1 or 2 5-oz. balls of buffalo mozzarella, sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
4 fresh basil leaves
2 anchovy fillets
2 ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
salt & pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 F.

Remove the ends of the lemons & discard them (don’t cut in to deep - you want to keep a closed bottom). Then cut the lemons in half crossways, giving you little lemon bowls.

Using a small knife, remove the lemon flesh, leaving you with 4 hollow lemon rind bowls. (Again you don’t want to break-into the rind)Cut a piece of mozzarella to fit inside, then lay a basil leaf, half an anchovy fillet and half a cherry tomato on top with a pinch of salt & pepper. Put another slice of mozzarella on top - the lemon should now be filled up. Do the same to the rest of the lemon bowls.

Place on a baking sheet & cook in a preheated oven for 10 - 15 minutes, until golden & bubbling.

Remove from the oven & allow to cool for a few minutes - serve with crostini. Scoop the mozzarella out & eat with the toast to mop up any juices!

Photo of the Week - Castel Brancaleoni, Piobbico

a view of Castello Brancaleoni in Piobbico, the town we live in!

"The onions have exploded and there's poppies in my potatoes!"

view of the garden from the front yard

...I never thought I'd hear Jason say that. But, man was he right! The garden is just bursting especially after this last batch of June rain. To be honest I've never seen half this stuff growing before from seed to a flowering plant with veggies and then onto my plate -it's pretty incredible!(lettuces ~ lattughe)

(tomatoes ~ pomodori)

I used to break out in a cold sweat when Jason would ask me to run to the store for an onion. Which kind of onion? He didn't say - white, purple, yellow, those little ones...should I get one of everything... not any more! Now we just pull'em from the front yard.(onions ~ cipolle)

So until now I had no clue when a radish is ready to be picked or how big potato plants actually are (they're huge!) & eggplants... forget it! I am amazed by the eggplants & love their beautiful purple flowers. (I'll post a progression of shots soon).

(eggplant ~ melanzane)

Then there is the zucchini - not only is the actually zucchini just wonderful in so many dishes but the bright orange flowers - fried, stuffed, in a sauce, baked & tossed with pasta!(zucchini)

And check out the proud farmer with his home bottled wine in one hand & his first zucchini in the other!

Eco Friendly Beaches of Le Marche ~ Blue Flag Awarded

Check it out: From Marche Voyager a wonderful newsletter on Le Marche:

Le Marche has been awarded more Blue Flags - the prestigious awards given annually to well-kept beaches and marinas across Europe by the Foundation for Environmental Education - than any other region in Italy this year.

The important "eco-label" is given to sites that meet strict criteria including water quality, environmental management, safety and other services.


A total of 26 beaches and nine marinas have been nominated in the following towns (from north to south): Gabicce Mare, Pesaro, Fano, Marotta di Mondolfo, Senigallia, Sirolo, Numana, Porto Recanati, Potenza Picena, Civitanova Marche, Porto Sant'Elpidio, Lido di Fermo, Porto San Giorgio, Cupra Marittima, Grottammare, and San Benedetto del Tronto.

Check out more detailed beach info: click here!

All these beaches are a day trip away from our farmhouse Agriturismo & Cooking School - we are only 45 minutes from Fano!

Poached Makes For A Perfect Picnic

Lesso di vitello con salsa verde

Poached beef with green sauce

A quick note about lesso or boiled/poached meat: you can make a lesso of anything - fish, chicken, beef even potatoes. A great secondo for a hot day - as you can make it far ahead of time & then there is no need to turn on your stove in the heat of the day! I must say that boiled meat sounds gross - boiled meat with green sauce sounds like you may find it on a shoddy cafeteria menu - oh but worry not my friends - this is a wonderful, light picnic perfect dish!

Meat
serves 4

little over a lb. of a tough roast: rump roast, eye round or chuck roast will work well
enough broth to cover (The secret to this dish is in the broth/brodo - must be of high quality!)
1 carrot
1 rib of celery
half an onion
1 bay leaf
1 leek
couple of sprigs of parsley

In a large pot, bring your broth to a boil. Drop in your aromatics (herbs & veggies) and return the pot to a boil.

Gently add your meat to the broth & veggies. Allow pot to return to a boil.

Lower to simmer for 2 - 4 hours until meat is extremely tender.

Remove meat & place in the fridge to cool.

Broth can be strained & saved to be served as a soup or another dish. Freezes very well.

Salsa Verde

2 handfuls of parsley (stems removed), chopped
2 cloves of garlic, skins removed, smashed
1 tablespoons of capers, chopped
4 fillets of anchovies, chopped
pepper flakes as desired
2 - 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

In a small sauce pan add a couple tablespoons of the oil, on a low heat fry the garlic.

When outside of garlic turns golden brown add capers & anchovies & pepper flakes. Pulverize into a paste with the back of a wooden spoon.

Remove pan from heat. Add vinegar & parsley incorporating into the mixture.

Once mixture has had a chance to cool down for a minute, slowly stir in the rest of the olive oil and adjust the seasoning.

Allow salsa mix to sit out & rest for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to incorporate.

Meanwhile -
Remove the meat from the fridge. Slice thinly against the grain. Lay meat on a plate in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt & top with salsa verde.

Allow for the finished dish to sit for 15-minutes or so once topped. It can be done far ahead in advance & refrigerated - but remember to pull it out of the fridge early so the oil comes back up to room temperature & is not congealed.

Serve lesso atop a bed of salad. It can also be topped with quartered cherry tomatoes, shaved parmesean, finely sliced celery, etc. etc.

Take this basic recipe & apply it to anything - boiled potatoes, poached fish or poached chicken breast, even a poached egg are beautiful examples of lesso con salsa verde. There is also a mayonaise based sauce - but I prefer the one above.

Pranzo Al Fresco ~ The Perfect Summer Lunch Menu

Pranzo alfresco - you just can't beat a long summer lunch on a warm day gathered around the table full of old friends. It's been incredible to walk down into the orto & collect the veggies & fruits needed for lunch or dinner. Here is the perfect menu for a lovely summer lunch- (served just this last weekend at our farmhouse/agriturismo).

Antipasti ~

Prosciutto & melon
Green beans with pomodorini & 30 year old aged Traditional Aceto Balsamico of Modena (Recipe)
Fichi con pecorino e miele ~ Figs with aged pecorino (sheeps milk cheese) drizzled with local honeyFine finocchio ~ Shaved fennel salad

Insalata lenticchi ~ Lentil salad (Recipe)

Primi ~
Spaghetti alla chitarra con fiori di zucchini ~ Pasta with squash blossoms
Taglietelle con porcini freschi ~ Pasta with fresh porcini mushrooms & sausage

Secondo ~

Lesso con salsa verde ~ Poached beef with green sauce (Recipe)
Insalta mista ~ Mixed lettuce & arugula salad

Dolce ~

Ciliege con mascarpone e biscotti ~ Cherries mascerated in brandy topped with mascarpone & mint with a star cookie (Recipe)
mangia bene~

Bella Piu Della Luna ~ More Beautiful Than The Moon

In our tiny town of Piobbico, Italy they color their streets in flower petals for one day in honor of Corpus Cristi. Straight out of an old Italian film there is a religious procession through town led by the priest, clergy, band, mayor & townspeople - however it is split: men 1st and then the women follow. I jumped in line once I saw Rossalba our Italian teacher in town & asked why? Without hesitation "That is how it's always been." Case closed!
Enjoy the pictures of Piobbico~

Bella Piu Della Luna ~ More Beautiful Than The Moon!