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Sott’oli: Vegetables in Olive Oil, The Italian Way

Feb 26 2016

The best way to eat a vegetable is to pick it at its peak ripeness, when it is full of flavor and packed with nutrients. Farmers have known this in Puglia for generations. They have developed a technique that keeps the flavor of a perfectly ripe vegetable all year-long. The preservation method, known as sott’olio meaning “under the oil”, preserves some of the most delicate vegetables – artichokes, mushrooms, asparagus, olives – in extra virgin olive oil.

Italian Sottolio, Vegetables in Olive Oil

From start to finish this Pugliese style of preservation takes several days from harvesting to the final drip of olive oil. The result is a delectable side dish served year-round across the region.

How the Sott’olio Method Works

Every family has their own recipes for sott’olio in Puglia, but the process starts the same. At the peak of ripeness, farmers go out to the fields to harvest the vegetables. Many commercial brands do not use fresh vegetables; rather they use semi-preserved vegetables, which diminishes the flavor and quality of the final product. In Puglia, farmers take the ripe vegetables indoors to be cleaned and prepped for the cooking stage.  The vegetables are then boiled in white wine vinegar until they are cooked al-dente. They are then cooled to room temperature and tossed with salt and a mix of spices such as black pepper, chili pepper, garlic etc. This is where every family differs, with recipes transferred from generation to generation.

Once the vegetables have absorbed the flavors they are packed into jars, and covered with extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil acts as a natural preservative by keeping air away from the food, which is the source of spoilage. Unlike many commercial brands, that use cheaper oils like sunflower, Especially Puglia’s sott’oli is made with extra virgin olive oil. This ensures it has healthy benefits and keeps the natural flavors of the vegetables intact.

For a Puglia family, this is where the process would end, and they would enjoy vegetables for the rest of the year. To commercially sell sott’oli, a special technique to pasteurize the product is used to keep the integrity of the extra virgin olive oil as well as the flavor of the vegetables. The end result is a lovely vegetable, preserved in delicious olive oil.

Eating Sott’oli Style Vegetables

Sott’oli are delicious on an antipasto platter, as well as a side dish to a lovely fish or roast dinner. Olive tapenade or artichoke tapenade are perfect on top of toasted bread, as a bruschetta.  Less traditional, but just as delicious, is using the sott’olio vegetables in salads, using the olive oil to make a delightful dressing. The vegetables, prepared in this method will keep for up to two years if stored in a dry, cool place.

Where to Find Sott’olio Vegetables

Especially Puglia’s winter Farmshare includes asparagus and artichoke sott’olis as well as the artichoke and black olive tapenade. These high-quality traditional sott`oli vegetables are hard to find outside of Puglia. Sign up for your Farmshare now and enjoy these savory Pugliese delights.

Posted by Editor · Categorized: General

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We have three #gifts for just about anyone... one We have three #gifts for just about anyone... one for foodies, one for the cheese lover, and one for your sweetie with a sweet tooth. What about your co-workers? Our boxes are perfect also as #corporategift options for your colleagues or clients. We ship promptly - just make sure to get your order in so we can send it out in time for the Holidays!
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The olive harvest is our favorite time of the year. Our 2020 Harvest was abundant - the weather conditions were fantastic, the amount of sunshine the olives got this year means a bountiful extra virgin olive oil. The fresher the oil, the better the flavor! We can't wait to share it with you this winter!

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This just in! Our Pugliese Caciocavallo is back in This just in! Our Pugliese Caciocavallo is back in stock after "flying off the shelves." Caciocavallo podolico is a semi-hard, pasta filata (pulled-curd) #cheese made of cow's milk from the podolica cow. Hung on a rope and aged to perfection, this cheese is a #uniquegift. Order soon, because we just don't know how long these will stay in stock!
Our olive oil tin is the perfect container for kee Our olive oil tin is the perfect container for keeping the oil at peak #freshness, protecting it from the sun and oxygen, and preventing spoilage. When you buy olive oil, always look for the “harvest date” - the fresher the better. #oliveoil #giftidea #gift
#Oliveoil in #cocktails? Yup, it's a thing and we #Oliveoil in #cocktails? Yup, it's a thing and we love it. Especially Puglia's EVOO #Gimlet is sure to rock your Thanksgiving #cocktail menu. We specifically chose San Giusto because the oil is a #monocultivar made of Coratina olives. In other words it is made from one olive varietal - not a blend. The oil's bitterness and robust notes of green almond are complimented by the sweetness in the honey syrup and carried by the gin. Try it and tell us what you think!

-1.5 oz Gin
-1/2 oz lime juice
-1/4 oz Masseria San Giusto Olive Oil
-1/4 oz Honey Syrup

Method: Shake in a shaker and strain over ice in a cocktail coupe. Garnish with a lime peel.
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