To make table olives at home, it is necessary to harvest them when they are still green, but they have reached their maximum size, before they take on a yellowish color. Depending on the variety and climatic conditions, the harvest can take place between the end of August and the first days of October. Once harvested, the olives are selected, washed and immersed in lye, a detergent solution made in the past with olive or oak wood ash or quicklime, now replaced by caustic soda.
To prepare the solution, you need to mix caustic soda with water, using between 20 and 25 grams of soda per kilo of olives. The right dosage will depend on the water content of the olives, which varies from harvest to harvest depending on rainfall and irrigation.
After preparing the lye, the olives are immersed (1 liter of water for each kilo of olives) and stirred to prevent them from floating, a fundamental step to maintain the quality product. Maceration lasts between 8 and 12 hours, with periodic checks to verify that the solution has penetrated the pulp correctly.
Once the olives are ready, they are rinsed thoroughly to remove any residue of soda. Next, an aromatic brine is prepared with bay leaf, wild fennel and lemon zest, a step that enriches the flavor in a natural and genuine way. The brine, after being cooled, is poured over the olives in tightly sealed containers. The olives are then left to rest for a few days. After two weeks, it is recommended to remove the brine and cover the olives with clean water, adding 25 grams of salt per kilo of olives.
Under the spotlight of Sol2Expo, all the taste of olives and olive oil, with a rich program of culinary shows, workshops and tastings designed for professionals and enthusiasts.
*AI-generated translation
