Crushed Olives, typical of southern Italy, are a delicious appetizer or side dish even! Have you ever tried to crush olives?
What are crushed olives?
In Sicilian dialect they are called alivi cunzati or alivi scacciati and they’re prepared during autumn in large quantities to preserve over the winter and consume all year round. Tasty and appetizing, they are generally served as an appetizer along with many other small bites like cheese and cold cuts. The name crushed olives comes from how you make them: the olives are crushed and opened with a weight such as a meat tenderizer or a stone, as they do in the Sicilian tradition.
Recipe for crushed olives
To make crushed olives, you first need to select the pulpiest, greenest olives you can find. Then wash 3 lb of olives and place them on a clean surface. Crush them so that they open, but not so much that the pit breaks. Place them in a container, cover with water and let rest for two days, changing the water every 12 hours. After the first two days of soaking, boil 3 US quarts of water with 12 oz of salt. Put the olives in the boiling water. Turn off heat and let rest covered in brine for one full day. The next day, prepare another brine with another 12 oz of salt and soak the olives for another 24 hours. Next, rinse and soak them in a pot full of unsalted water for one day more. Drain and let olives dry on a clean cloth. Once dry, season with vinegar, garlic slices, red pepper, oregano, parsley, bay leaf and fennel seeds. Pour the now-seasoned olives into sterilized jars and add extra-virgin olive oil to the brim. Eat the crushed olives immediately or preserve for a few months.
Tips and variations
Always remember to change the water and brine as indicated in the recipe. Make sure the olives are compact enough inside the jars to avoid air pockets. You can also add fresh herbs in layers, alternating them with the olives instead of mixing everything together. If you like sundried tomatoes in olive oil, keep them in the same jar as the olives and you will get an even tastier starter!