Olives and Olive oil may be used in a wide variety of recipes, varying from soups, salads, pasta dishes, pastries and also cookies. Olives may also be preserved in brine, in salt, as a pate and other.
Preserving Olives in Brine
This method is ideal for freshly picked olives. Olives are cut when they start turning from greed to brown.
Initially leave the olives in fresh water for about ten days, replacing the water every day. This helps to remove the biterness from the olives. The longer the period the less bitter, as long as water is replaced on a daily basis.
Prepare brine by apply the standard formula of 10 parts water 1 part salt. Test the brine by placing a fresh egg in the water. In brine, the egg should float and not sunk to the bottom.
Fill the olives in sterile jars and add the brine up to 1 inch from the top. Additional herbs may be added to please. After 3-4 months the olives shall be ready. After this stage less salty water may be used to replace the brine. White vinegar may also be added to taste.
Black Olives in Salt
This method is ideal for olives that have turned black. Take great care while handling the olives. In this method a container (hay or plastic) with wholes in the bottom is needed and placed over a tray to collect extracted water. Place a layer of salt in the bottom of the container and then a layer of black olives. Keep adding layers until the top layer is Salt. Check the tray regularly as the salt extracts water from the olives and this is gathered in the underlying tray. After four to five weeks check the olives for sourness and once good, wash thoroughly the olives and store under olive oil in a sterile jar.
Black Olive Pate
Crush 200 gr unpitted black olives, some olive oil and garlic and serve with Maltese Bread, Grissini and Water Crackers (Galletti).