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Carluccio's Complete Italian Food

By Antonio Carluccio and Priscilla Carluccio

Published 1997

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In my opinion this is by far the best of the herbs. Although originally from India, since the Romans brought it from Greece it has been adopted throughout Italy to take up a central position in Italian cuisine. The bushy annual with small leaves grows up to 50 cm (20 inches) high on a tall stem. To keep the growth bushy and the flavour of the leaves sweet, nip off the flower at the top of the plant. I think it should always be used fresh or preserved, as when it is dried it loses much of its character. To preserve basil, take just the leaves, unwashed and completely dry, and keep them under olive oil in an airtight jar. My father used to add salt and chilli too. Basil leaves can also be used to flavour extra-virgin olive oil, and this can be then used to make dressings for salads.

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