Olive oil of the highest category (extra virgin) is essentially freshly squeezed olive juice, which professionals call first–pressed oil. This oil is obtained by cold pressing the fruits and separating the excess liquid in a centrifuge. Fresh olive is a capricious product, and within a day after harvesting it begins to oxidize, lose its shape, taste and aroma, so olives are turned into oil as close as possible to the place of collection and never transport fruits over long distances. This means that the first-pressed oil retains the unique aroma of olives of the region where it was made. Notes of flowers and fruits, artichokes and fresh grass.
Such a bright personality requires careful handling: extra virgin olive oil works best in its natural form at room temperature in salads, appetizers, sauces and even in cold desserts. Many manufacturers enrich its notes with additional flavors – basil, lemon zest, garlic, dried tomatoes and truffle. So the oil turns into a ready-made refined dressing. It is enough to dip a piece of ciabatta in olive oil with the aroma of noble white truffle to feel a powerful polyphony of flavors.
Olive Oil for Frying
Many home cooks are sure that frying and stewing in extra virgin olive oil is not right. From the heat, fragile natural flavors are destroyed, the oil changes texture and color, and the piquant bitterness turns into outright bitterness. But this is only partially true. In fact, the so–called “smoking point” (that is, the temperature limit after which all of the above irreversible processes begin to occur in the oil) even in first-pressed oil is quite high – up to 180 ° C, depending on the acidity of the product. In other words, if the dish is slowly languishing or baked in the oven with gentle heating, extra virgin oil releases all its flavor and transmits it to the products, which is exclusively beneficial for fish, meat or vegetables. This is the secret, for example, of the Provencal ratatouille – only mixed vegetables cooked in “virgin” olive oil turn into a luxurious, fragrant southern sun whole.
But if we are talking about high temperatures – deep-frying or frying in a hot frying pan, then the temperature shock will kill all living things. For these purposes, it is logical to use refined olive oil: it is sold both in pure form and mixed with a small amount of extra virgin (usually in a percentage ratio of 80:20). This oil is a workhorse in the kitchen, it is more affordable and absolutely universal, suitable for salad dressings and frying in a frying pan. Due to the high density, olive oil practically does not penetrate into the product during frying. And this is good news for those who want to eat a ruddy steak and observe the principles of a healthy diet: after frying, it is easy to remove excess olive oil with a paper towel.
It is worth considering that due to the high density, olive oil practically does not penetrate into the product during frying. The only thing to avoid is deep–frying and a hot frying pan
I suggest cooking pasta with pumpkin and feta for lunch or dinner. Cook quickly, and it will turn out delicious and satisfying. A wonderful, very interesting and delicious dish!
Every housewife knows that there is never too much rice! It is irreplaceable in the menu! We cook so many dishes with him! Let’s think only about the beautiful! After all, rice goes so well with pineapple! And here sweet pepper is certainly appropriate!
I continue to master the wonderful book Practical Encyclopedia “Homemade bread” and offer you a recipe for bread with garlic, dry herbs and walnuts. My friends, what a fragrant bread turns out… Words cannot express it! Try it, it’s very tasty.
Delicate garlic flavor, magically soft, tender crumb, thin crispy crust… What could be tastier than freshly baked homemade bread? The preparation of such bread will not be difficult for you, but it will bring great satisfaction.
I like to bake meat bread, it’s delicious, nutritious and quite dietary. I want to eat something hot, I want to bake it on bread in the form of a sandwich. Today I want to offer a variant of meat bread, which was tasted in a mountain village in Crete. The recipe, of course, has changed. Original meatloaf of lamb, red onion and feta cheese, as well as pieces and leftovers of local bread… Well, what are they rich in, as they say. But you can not spread it on bread, it is a bright self-sufficient hearty meat dish, which is served accompanied by vegetables, herbs and … of course, olives.
I want to share with you the recipe for “Garlic Italian bread”! In rainy weather, I don’t like to go outside, and we have frequent rains! When I ran out of bread, and the men demand, bake them, here is such a quick (without yeast and bitterness), fragrant and delicious bread… Try to cook and you!
