Olive

OLIVE AL FORNO
Baked Black Olives

5 lbs. black olives
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. peperoncino
2 tsp. oregano
3 cups olive oil

Make two or three small cuts in the olives' pulp. Soak them in cold water for a week, changing the water three times a day. Drain, let dry and cover the olive with salt. Bake at 225ºF until wrinkled. When cool, put into a Mason jar with peperoncino and oregano, then cover completely with oil and save for later use.

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OLIVE SCHIACCIATE
Crushed Green Olives

5 lbs. green olives (not too ripe)
5 cloves garlic, sliced
1 bunch basil
peperoncino
4 tbs. oregano
1 sweet pepper, minced
salt
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbs. vinegar

Pound the olives with a mallet without crushing them completely. Wash and let soak in water for about 10 days, changing the water frequently. Drain the olives, squeeze them and make a layer on the bottom of a jar which can be hermetically sealed.

Cover each layer with a little garlic, basil, peperoncino, oregano and sweet pepper cut into thin strips.

Salt each layer. When the jar is full, push down on the olives to squeeze out as much liquid as possible to dispose of. Fill the jar with extra-virgin olive oil mixed with a few drops of vinegar. They will be ready to eat after a couple of months.