10 Best Italian Olives – From Frantoio to Gaeta

Ever wondered what some famous Italian olives are?

They include Cerignola, Castelvetrano, Gaeta, Taggiasca, Nocellara del Belice, and Frantoio.

In this article, I’ll be discussing these and more, exploring:

• Italy’s olive trees; the intro
• Best olives in Italy
• Gaeta olives and what makes them special
• Brine-cured vs. Salt-cured olives
• The different uses and specialties of olives is Italy
• Pairing olives with your favorite cuisine

Key Takeaways

• Different regions of Italy have their own prized olive varieties, reflecting local terroir and culinary traditions. For example, Cerignola olives are famous in Puglia, while Taggiasca olives are renowned in Liguria.
• Taggiasca olives from Liguria are often found in seafood dishes and salads. They complement well with sparkling wines like Prosecco.
• Frantoio olives are often used for making salad dressings and marinades. They pair nicely with Sauvignon Blanc or light red wines.
• Briny and small, Gaeta olives are great for pasta dishes and antipasti platters. They go well with dry rosé wines or light red wines.

Italy’s Olive Trees

Italy, known for its beautiful scenery and delicious food, has over 350 kinds of olive trees. Italy’s varied weather and landscapes have made all sorts of olives grow here, from the green ones up north to the black ones down south.

The National Center for Research (CNR) manages about 850 types of olives used for various purposes, such as making oil or eating them as snacks. Italian olive oils and olives are popular worldwide because they taste so good.

In Southern Italy, the olives have more oil in them. A tree in Apulia, for example, can give about 20 liters of oil, while one in Tuscany only gives about a liter.

Best Olives in Italy

Exploring more of Italy’s olive farms, let’s check out the top Italian olive types that make our meals special. From the fragrant Frantoio to the strong Coratina, each kind has its own taste and cooking possibilities.

Whether pouring olive oil on a salad or enjoying marinated olives with meats and cheeses, these Italian olives give you a delicious eating experience you won’t forget.

Frantoio

Our adventure kicks off in Tuscany with the Frantoio olive. This olive is super famous for its top-notch, fragrant oil, which is loved worldwide. Even though it’s known for a few things like:

• Taking a while to ripen
• Being sensitive to bad weather
• Producing a lot of olives
• Making a really tasty, savory oil

People everywhere can’t get enough of it.

When Frantoio olives ripen, they turn from deep purple to black and look cool. But what really sets them apart is their delicious, fruity flavor. Imagine tasting hints of fresh herbs and green almonds – that makes this olive type a hit with folks who love olive oil.

Moraiolo

Next up is the Moraiolo olive, another prized find from Tuscany. It’s grown a lot, not just in Italy but also in other Mediterranean spots.

Even though it’s on the smaller side, the Moraiolo olive is a powerhouse, packing a ton of oil and a strong flavor punch. And when it’s ripe, its deep blackish-purple color makes it look even cooler.

The oil made from Moraiolo olives is famous for being super intense and fruity, with a bit of a bitter kick. Plus, it’s loaded with polyphenols, which are good for you because they’re antioxidants.

This robust and complex oil is a popular choice for giving rustic dishes an extra boost and keeping its special taste for a long time.

Leccino

Found all over Italy, the Leccino olive is famous for a few reasons:

• It can handle bad weather like a champ.
• It produces a lot of olives consistently.
• The olives are a medium size.
• When they’re ripe, they turn dark purple or black.

People enjoy eating Leccino olives as they are or using them to make oil.

The oil from Leccino olives has a nice, balanced taste that’s not too strong, making it versatile in cooking. It’s got a soft, fruity flavor with a hint of grass and a little kick of pepper at the end.

Even though it’s not as strong as oils from other olives like Coratina, lots of folks love it because it blends well with other oils, giving dishes a nice overall taste.

Pendolino

Even though it’s not as famous as some other types, the Pendolino olive, also from Tuscany, is pretty important in Italy.

It’s mainly grown to help pollinate other olive varieties, but it also makes a nice, mild oil with a balanced flavor and just a hint of fruitiness.

Even though it’s not in the spotlight, the oil from Pendolino olives goes well with local dishes and other hearty foods. This makes it a valuable part of the olive industry, especially around Florence and the surrounding areas.

Bella di Cerignola

Hailing from Apulia, the Bella di Cerignola olive is a big deal in the olive scene. These massive olives come in either green or black. They’re famous for being sweet and having soft flesh. The black ones are even tastier and easier to remove the pits from than the green ones, which are a bit denser.

You can enjoy these olives as part of a vibrant and tasty antipasto dish, maybe alongside some small, black, wrinkly Gaeta olives cured in salt.

What sets Bella di Cerignola olives apart is their lack of bitterness, which makes them perfect for starting a meal or having as a snack.

Nocellara del Belice

The Nocellara del Belice is a famous olive type from Sicily and highly regarded for eating and making olive oil.

These olives are big, round, and full of meat, and when they’re ripe, they’re a bright green color that’s hard to miss.

People love Nocellara del Belice olives as a snack because they have a sweet, gentle taste with a bit of a buttery feel without the bitterness of some other olives.

The oil made from these olives is also really special. It has a rich, fruity flavor with hints of artichoke and tomato and a little kick to it.

Coratina

Coming from Puglia, the “heel” of Italy’s “boot,” the Coratina olive is something special. It’s known for making top-notch olive oil that’s famous for its strong taste.

This oil is high in polyphenols, which gives it a unique spicy ending and a touch of bitterness.

Its intense flavor includes hints of green almond, artichoke, and pepperiness, which lots of olive oil lovers enjoy because it adds a bold taste to their cooking.

Ogliarola

Another significant olive variety from Puglia is the Ogliarola, which plays a big part in making some of the region’s most famous olive oils. These olives are fully ripe when they turn from deep purple to light purple.

The oil from Ogliarola olives is well-liked because it has a gentle and mild flavor, making it great for all kinds of cooking.

Taggiasca Olives

Famous for its rich reddish-black color and sweet, fruity taste, the Taggiasca olive is a specialty in Italian cooking. It grows on rocky slopes by the sea in Liguria, adding a unique Italian flavor to dishes like pizzas and seafood.

The oil from these olives is perfect for salads, fish dishes, or just dipping bread. And you’ll often find the olives themselves preserved in jars with local herbs and olive oil, ready to snack on or spice up other recipes.

Cerasuola

Last, let’s talk about the Cerasuola olive, primarily found in western Sicily. People like it because it’s great for making oil and eating as a snack. It’s got a strong flavor and is pretty big, so it’s perfect for adding to traditional Sicilian recipes or serving up on an antipasto plate.

Special Mention – Gaeta Olives

One Italian olive that stands out is the Gaeta olive.

This olive from Central Italy is famous for its unique flavor and look, and it is mainly enjoyed as a snack. It’s closely linked with the area around the town of Gaeta, and the local weather and soil there help shape its taste and appearance, making it different from other olives in Italy.

Characteristics

Gaeta olives are special because:

• They’re small to medium-sized and have wrinkled skin, which comes from how they’re cured.
• When fully ripe, they’re a deep purple to black color.
• These olives have soft, tender flesh and a mild, rich taste, with a little saltiness and bitterness mixed in.
• They have a nice balance of flavors, making them great for snacking or adding to different recipes.

Culinary Uses

Gaeta olives are like kitchen superheroes – they can do it all! You can use them in so many ways:

• Toss them in salads for a burst of flavor.
• Mix them into pasta dishes for a tasty twist.
• Sprinkle them on pizzas to add some extra yum.
• Arrange them on antipasti platters for a classy touch.
• Pair them with cheeses and cured meats for a perfect match.

Their mild but special taste makes any dish they’re in even more delicious.

Curing Process

Gaeta olives have a rich tradition of being dry-cured. This process starts by storing them in salt to pull out moisture, which helps intensify their flavor and texture. After that, they’re often marinated in olive oil or a blend of oil, vinegar, and herbs.

This boosts their taste and helps keep them fresh for longer periods. It’s a time-tested method that ensures these olives are packed with flavor and ready to enhance your meals for a while.

Brine-Cured vs. Salt-Cured Olives

When it comes to preparing olives in Italy, there are a couple of different methods, depending on how they will be used and where they’re from.

One way is brine-curing, where the olives are soaked in water and salt (sometimes with vinegar and other flavors) that ferments over time. This keeps the olives juicy and plump.

Then there’s salt-curing, where the olives are packed in salt. This draws out moisture and strengthens their flavors. This method makes the olives shriveled and has a tougher texture.

Brine-Cured Olives

Certain Italian olive types, like Nocellara del Belice, Gaeta, and Castelvetrano, are usually brine-cured.

This means they’re soaked in a salty solution, which keeps their special colors and textures intact. That’s why they’re so popular as snacks.

Whether it’s the vibrant green color and buttery feel of Nocellara del Belice or the soft, mild taste of Gaeta olives, brine-curing brings out what makes each type special.

Salt-Cured Olives

Conversely, particular olives, such as Taggiasca and Tonda Iblea, are commonly salt-cured. This process amps their flavor, perfect for adding a bold olive kick to dishes where you want it. Salt-curing also boosts their role in traditional Sicilian recipes and olive oils.

Savoring the Flavors of Italian Olive Specialties

Italian cuisine is famous for its wide variety of olive-based treats. Every region adds special flavors and methods to make delicious dishes, like preserving veggies, making tasty pestos, and whipping up olive creams.

Whether it’s the savory olive paste from Liguria or the aromatic pesto from Sicily, these specialties highlight how Italian olives can be used in many different cooking ways.

Preserving with Olive Oil

In Italy, they’ve got a clever way to keep veggies tasting great and lasting longer using olive oil. It’s called the sott’olio method, and in Puglia, they use it to preserve ripe veggies like artichokes, mushrooms, asparagus, and olives in extra virgin olive oil.

Here’s how it works:

• First, they pick the veggies when they’re perfectly ripe.
• Then, they boil them in vinegar until they’re just right—not too soft or hard.
• After that, they season them with spices and dunk them in extra virgin olive oil. This keeps them tasty and fresh for a long time.

Olive Paste, Pesto, and Olive Cream

Olive paste and pesto are usually made with a mix of:

• Black pitted olives
• Capers
• Marinated anchovies
• Olive oil

Adding fresh herbs, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or other ingredients makes a super versatile olive pesto.

Olive tapenade, made from finely chopped olives, is perfect for spreading on bruschetta. It also plays a role in Italian spreads and pastes.

Olive cream is great as a spread for breadsticks or crackers, and it can also be enjoyed on Tuscan crostini or baked into puff pastry.

Pairing Olives with Food and Drinks

Olives in Italy have such amazing flavors that they go perfectly with many foods and drinks. Check out these tasty pairings:

• Cerignola olives are fantastic with sharp, hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano, creamy mozzarella, and smoked cheeses.
• With their mild buttery taste, Castelvetrano olives from Sicily are an excellent match for Fontinella cheese.
• The zesty flavor of Cracked Green Olives goes well with many Italian cheeses.

And if you’re looking for a drink to go with your olives, try buttery Castelvetrano olives with a crisp white wine like Zinfandel.

Here’s a table suggesting pairings of Italian olives with famous foods and drinks. These are my suggestions, feel free to mix and match these to create your own delicious combinations.

Variety	Famous Foods	Drinks
Cerignola Olives	Sharp hard cheeses (Parmigiano-Reggiano), creamy mozzarella, smoked cheeses	White wines like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio
Castelvetrano Olives	Fontinella cheese	Crisp white wines like Zinfandel
Gaeta Olives	Bruschetta, pasta dishes, antipasti platters	Dry rosé wines or light red wines
Taggiasca Olives	Seafood dishes, salads, bruschetta	Sparkling wines like Prosecco
Nocellara del Belice	Fresh salads, fish dishes	Fruity extra virgin olive oil
Tonda Iblea Olives	Pasta dishes, pizza toppings	Medium-bodied red wines like Sangiovese
Frantoio Olives	Salad dressings, marinades	Sauvignon Blanc or light red wines

Final Words

Italian olives bring tradition, farming, and cooking together from the fields to your plate.

Whether you’re a chef, food lover, or cook at home, the many types of Italian olives offer a tasty adventure of flavors and textures. Why not start your culinary journey and explore the unique taste of Italian olives?

Remember that even olives of the same kind can have different flavors because of different factors. So, taste as many as you can and find your favorite!

Frequently Asked Questions