Bitter, fresh, fruity, woody, tasty: each variety of olive gives a particular taste
04/22/2024 – by Gloria Ciabattoni
It is an Italian pride, it is the green gold of our land, versatile in the kitchen, precious for health. AND olive oil, the basis of the Mediterranean diet. But which is the best? Definitely the oil EVO, acronym for Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is obtained from the first cold pressing of the olives. The extraction takes place mechanically, at room temperature, without the use of solvents, a technique that allows the organoleptic properties to be preserved, in fact antioxidants and polyphenols would be eliminated with high temperature processing.
Even with the same pressing, there are notable differences in flavor from oil to oil, which depend on the variety of olives. And here you are spoiled for choice, because in Italy there are more than 500 varieties of olives, called cultivars from the Latin varietas culta, or cultivated variety. Among the main cultivars there are the Tuscan Moraiolo and Frantoio, the Ligurian Taggiasca, the Leccino from the centre-north, the Sicilian Nocellara del Belice, the Apulian Coratina, Ogliarola, Leccese, Cellina, the Casaliva from Lake Garda, the Rasara typical of Euganean Hills, just to mention the best known. We can choose a monocultivar oil, produced from a single quality of olives, or from multiple qualities, a blend.
Each olive variety gives the oil a particular taste: the Frantoio is fruity and slightly bitter and recalls the artichoke, the Leccino is pleasantly a little bitter and spicy, the Coratina recalls both sweet and bitter almonds and leaves a spicy and persistent aftertaste, hints that are also found in the Ogliarola from Bari , while in that of the Gargano there are also notes of fresh grass, Nocellara del Belice gives an oil with an intense and not very spicy herbaceous taste, unlike the Tuscan Moraiolo whose oil is bitterish with a nice woody taste.
Then there are small producers who recover ancient species and create unique oils. How to recognize a good EVO oil? It must have a nice green color, if it is too yellow it may be old (to avoid alterations it must be stored in a dark glass bottle and away from heat sources, if we buy it in cans let’s put it in bottles). It must release green, fresh, vegetal aromas, and have a slightly bitter and spicy, but also fruity flavour. Shades and intensity also depend on the ripeness of the olives, the cultivars and the blends. Just like a wine, goes oil goes matched well to food, although in order not to make mistakes, a simple rule can be observed: if the dish is complex, a tasty and strong oil will be used, whereas if the preparation is delicate we will use a delicate oil so as not to cover the flavour.
Then it comes down to personal tastes: an oil with a citrus scent goes well with grilled fish but also with a grilled steak, an oil with a basil aftertaste will be perfect for a salad but also for a plate of pasta with vegetables. Oil can also be a “smart” help, for example if chosen with a strong, decisive flavour, it can make a dietary slice of plain chicken more palatable. And speaking of diets, it would be a mistake to eliminate EVO oil from the diet: it is true that it is very caloric – one tablespoon, or about 10 g, provides 82 Kcal – but we cannot do without it because it is a real panacea . EVO oil contains the precious Vitamin Ewhich fights free radicals, the vitamin A which helps skin regeneration, and iron, beta-carotene, oleic acids which make the skin soft and elastic, and polyphenols, antioxidants. It is good to remember that the unsaturated fatty acids in the oil are precious for our body because they have a protective role at a cardiovascular level and help keep cholesterol levels in the blood low.
Finally, let’s not forget the versatility of EVO oil, a friend of first and second courses but also of desserts, in which it can replace butter in many cases, for example in a Margherita or carrot cake. And in Verona in recent days, in conjunction with Vinitaly, oil-based cocktails were presented, such as the one with gin and Leccino: further proof that EVO oil is truly a versatile ally on every occasion.
