Olive oil

Olive oil is used in Italian cooking for the flavor it adds to a dish. Therefore it is essential to choose an olive oil that has excellent flavor. Extra virgin olive oil is the highest grade of olive oil and is called for in every recipe in this book where olive oil is used. To be labeled extra virgin, an olive oil must be very low in acidity, less than 0.8% by law, although good extra virgin oils are all less than 0.5%. In addition the oil must be obtained from the first pressing of olives without the use of heat or chemicals, hence the term “cold press” so often seen on labels. Still, not all olive oils that meet these requirements are necessarily very good. The best olive oils are those from carefully maintained olive groves, where the olives are picked by hand. Experienced producers, who often have learned their craft from past generations, do the blending of different varieties of olives. Sometimes when a particular variety of olive is prized for its characteristics, such as ogliarola in Apulia, a single varietal olive oil may be produced. Olive oil is produced in almost every region of Italy and varies greatly from region to region. You may find you like the more delicate northern olive oils for certain dishes and more robust and full-flavored oils from central and southern Italy for others. The important thing is that it is just as important to use a high-quality olive oil for cooking as it is for dressing salads and drizzling on a finished dish.