Name: Maiale alle Olive (Pork Loin with Black Olives)
Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons/¼ cup/60 ml Ligurian extravirgin olive oil; ¾ cup/6 ounces/175 ml dry white wine, preferably Ligurian; 1 tablespoon/½ ounce/15 ml white wine vinegar; Freshly ground black pepper to taste; Sea salt to taste; 1 clove garlic, cut into slivers; 1½ pounds/650 g boneless pork loin or pork roast (or 6 chops); 1 tablespoon/7 g minced fresh thyme; 2 bay leaves; 4 ounces/1 cup/115 g pitted black olives, preferably Taggia or Gaeta; 2 tablespoons/15 g unsalted butter

Preparation info

Makes
4 to 6
servings

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Recipes from Paradise

By Fred Plotkin

Published 1997

About

This dish is popular in the hills and mountains on the border of the Levante and the region of Emilia-Romagna. It combines the use of pork so typical of Emilia-Romagna with flavors that are typically Ligurian. In some towns, it is customary to use pork chops (about 1 inch/2.5 cm thick) instead of a pork loin.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons/¼ cup/60 ml Ligurian extravirgin olive oil
1

Method

Combine the first eight ingredients in a deep bowl or dish to make a marinade. Add the pork, cover with plastic wrap or with the dish’s cover, and let marinate for 2 hours in a cool, dark place. If you have a warm kitchen, it is advisable to put the pork and its marinade in the refrigerator even though this will rob the preparation of some of its flavor. After the 2 hours, remove the bay leaves