Sunday, October 23, 2011

A SUNDAY GIFT



What a lovely surprise I had this morning when my doorbell rang and a friend appeared with these olives, fresh from her tree.

I haven't done any "olive bashing" for a few years but I will start processing these tomorrow, according to my friend Linda's instructions [which I first posted in 2006]:

Olive schiacciate - Bashed olives

Bash the olives [not too enthusiastically] with a stone, rolling pin or whatever you have to hand. Don't do this near a clean wall or with your best clothes on as they squirt everywhere. [I have found this out to my cost.] Put them in a plastic container, cover with water and add a handful of coarse seasalt. You should change the salt and water solution twice a day for 10 days. Then put them in vinegar and water [about a quarter vinegar to water] for 24 hours. After that, rinse them. They can be frozen in bags at this stage if you have a lot of them. When you are ready, put the olives in jars and add the flavourings of your choice - people here like to use chopped carrots, red pepper and garlic - then cover with olive oil.

10 comments:

Miss Footloose said...

When I read "fresh from the trees" I was hoping you weren't going to eat them raw, but then I realized you'd been in Sicily long enough to know not to do that ;)

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

A wonderful gift Pat.. we love Olives :-)

J. M. P. said...

They look good. We harvested our olives two weeks ago, this year they came earlier. We have about ten olive trees and it's a little too much work for my taste.

THE GARDEN CAT COTTAGE said...

I really like this post. I am crazy about olives but have never seen fresh from the tree ones.

Patricia said...

Now...where I can get fresh olives to try this wonderful preparation!

CherryPie said...

These look especially large and succulent, what a wonderful present.

Whispering Walls said...

I've only just realised that Mario Balotelli is Sicilian

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hi, Miss F - no, I wouldn't do that! Hi, Anne. Yes, a super present. Hi, Josep. Gosh, ten tress must produce tons! Thanks, GCC. You'll have to try and get some, Patricia! Indeed it is, Cherie. Hi,WW. Not sure he's a good advert!

Dragonstar said...

Olives have always seemed so exotic to me. What a delicious gift.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

I could eat them all day, Dragonstar.

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