Olives are native to the Mediterranean region and have been an important part of Mediterranean culture for over 4,000 years. They vary in size, texture, and flavor depending on the type and curing process, which can take 6 weeks to 9 months. Common olive varieties include Cerignola from Italy which are large and mild or black with soft pits; Sicilian green olives that are large and sour; Castelvetrano from Sicily that are bright green and sweet; and Ligurian olives from northern Italy that are small and cured with herbs. The document also provides a recipe for olive bread made with kalamata olives.

1. OLIVES
Victoria Di Llllo

2. HISTORY
 They are native to the Mediterranean region
 They are known as “the noble fruit”
 Evoke feelings of harmony, vitality and health
 Symbol of peace, victory and endurance of life
 Important in Mediterranean culture for a minimum of 4,000
years
 Almost always handpicked, delicate situation
 They vary on size and texture based on type
 To be edible they must be cured (brined, lye cured, dry cured
sun dried), this can take six weeks to nine months or longer

3. GROWTH
 Olives grow through out the country.
 Olives come from an olives tress which grown on average
between 40-50 feet
 They require long hot growing season for the fruit to ripen
correctly
 They are very delicate crop, a frost in spring can run-in the crop,
the winters have to be cold for the crop to set.

4. TYPE: CERIGONLA
 Italy’s Puglia region (heel of the boot), large green, mild and
vegetal flavor, and black, softer and sweeter pits easy to remove,
pair well with garlic, cheese capers, and anchovies

5. TYPE: SICILIAN GREEN
(COLOSSALS)
 Oversized olives that are dense with a sour and tart flesh

6. TYPE: CASTELVETRANO
 Sicily, Italy’s most common snack olive, bright green, sweet flavor,
go well with sheep milk cheese and crisp white wine

7. TYPE: LIGURIAN (TAGGIASCA)
 grown in Liguria (northwestern most region) small size, cured with
mixtures of bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme

8. TYPE: GAETA
 small brownish black olives, hard to pit, flavor similar to nuts, can
serve them over spaghetti with capers or as a snack

9. RECIPES WITH OLIVES:
 Marinated Olives
 Pasta with Olives and Bread Crumbs
 Antipasto
 Fried Olives
 Olive Oil

10. OLIVE BREAD
Ingredients:
Preparation
 1 cup of warm water
 1 tbsp olive oil
 1 1/2 tsp salt
 1 tbsp sugar
 3 cups of all purpose flour
 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
 kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
 cornmeal
 1 egg white
 1 tbsp water
 Place all dough ingredients (through yeast) in the
bread machine in the order listed. Select thedough
cycle and press start.
 Once the bread machine stops (it was one and a half
hours on my machine). Remove the pan from the
bread machine and punch the dough down (deflate
it), then cover and let it rise a second time, until
doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
 Remove the dough and place it on a floured surface
and knead for 1 minute. Roll the dough into a
rectangle. Place the kalamata halves evenly all over
the dough.
 Carefully roll up the dough in jelly roll fashion and
pinch the seam together. Tuck the ends underneath.
Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat and sprinkle
with cornmeal. Place the bread on the prepared
baking sheet; cover and let rise until it doubles in
size, about 30 minutes.
 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Carefully make
several evenly placed diagonal cuts (with a sharp
knife) on top of the loaf. Beat together the egg white
and 1 tablespoon of water then brush over the loaf
with a pastry brush.
 Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 23-
25 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and
sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from baking
sheet and cool on wire racks. Enjoy.
http://www.fortheloveofcooking.n
et/2011/06/kalamata-olive-