Olive Ciacca

A community recipe by Community

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

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Introduction

Olives in Oil or, literally translated, Bashed Olives - another olive recipe given to me by another Gargano old lady.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Metric Cups

3 kilograms green olives (or blackening olives)
6 cloves garlic (halved)
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seeds (crushed)
½ teaspoon peppercorns (crushed)
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
2 litres water
200 grams salt

6⅗ pounds green olives (or blackening olives)
6 cloves garlic (halved)
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seeds (crushed)
½ teaspoon peppercorns (crushed)
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3½ pints water
7 ounces salt

Method

Olive Ciacca is a community recipe submitted by Community and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

Dissolve the salt in the water to make the brine.

Cut a slit into each olive or gently bash just enough to split the skin. Soak in clean fresh water for 5-10 days, changing the water daily, or until the olives lose their bitterness - taste one occasionally to check on progress.

Pour the olives into a 5 litre wide necked jar with the herbs and spices and cover with the brine. Ensure that the olives all remain submerged in the brine and seal.

After 2-3 weeks drain away the brine, pack the olives into smaller jars and cover with olive oil.

Dissolve the salt in the water to make the brine.

Pour the olives into a 5 litre wide necked jar with the herbs and spices and cover with the brine. Ensure that the olives all remain submerged in the brine and seal.

After 2-3 weeks drain away the brine, pack the olives into smaller jars and cover with olive oil.

Additional Information

To keep the olives submerged under the oil I use 2 cocktail sticks in an X formation on top of a couple of strategically placed bay leaves. Use dried herbs and spices according to preference.