Olive Schiacciate Piccanti

Name: Olive Schiacciate Piccanti
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Calabrese
Ingredients: 500 g firm green olives; 1 piece celery stalk; 3 cloves Garlic cloves; 1.5 tsp calabrian dried chilli flakes; 1 tsp wild fennel seeds; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar; 0.5 tsp Fine sea salt; 80 ml Extra virgin olive oil

Cracked green olives dressed with garlic, chilli, celery, and extra virgin olive oil. A vibrant, spicy Calabrian table antipasto.

🇮🇹Italy· Calabria

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 0 min
Total: 20 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 145 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

500 g firm green olives — unpitted, plain brined or freshly cured
1 piece celery stalk — finely sliced, with tender inner leaves
3 cloves Garlic cloves — peeled and thinly sliced
1½ tsp calabrian dried chilli flakes — adjust to taste
1 tsp wild fennel seeds — lightly bruised
1 tsp dried oregano — preferably dried on the branch
1 tbsp white wine vinegar — for gentle acidity
½ tsp Fine sea salt — to taste
80 ml Extra virgin olive oil — fruity southern Italian oil

Equipment

•Meat mallet or heavy rolling pin
•Large mixing bowl
•Chopping board
•Chef's knife
•Clean glass storage jar

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 145 kcal
fat: 15 g
carbs: 3 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 1 g
calories: 145 kcal

Instructions

1
Place the green olives onto a sturdy wooden chopping board.
2
Crush each olive gently with a mallet until the flesh cracks without breaking the internal stone.
3
Rinse the cracked olives briefly under cold water and pat completely dry with clean kitchen towels.
4
Transfer the dried cracked olives into a large mixing bowl.
5
Add the sliced celery, sliced garlic, chilli flakes, bruised fennel seeds, and dried oregano.
6
Drizzle over the white wine vinegar, fine sea salt, and extra virgin olive oil.
7
Toss the mixture thoroughly with a spoon until the olives are glossy and evenly coated.
8
Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature for at least two hours before serving.

Chef's tips

Always pat the olives thoroughly dry after rinsing, as excess water will dilute the marinade and shorten shelf life. If using freshly harvested raw olives, they must be soaked in daily water changes for two weeks beforehand to remove bitterness before cracking and dressing.

Ingredient substitutions

wild fennel seeds → fresh wild fennel fronds or standard sweet fennel seeds
Calabrian dried chilli flakes → one fresh red chilli, finely chopped

Storage

Store in a sealed glass jar submerged in olive oil in the refrigerator for up to one week, bringing to room temperature before serving.

Reheating

Do not reheat; serve at cool room temperature so the olive oil becomes fully liquid and aromatic.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Crushing the olives with too much force and splintering the stones into the flesh.
•Leaving excess water on the olives, which causes the dressing to emulsify and spoil quickly.
•Serving immediately without allowing the garlic, chilli, and herbs to infuse the oil.

Serving suggestions

Serve as part of a regional antipasto with crusty pane casereccio and aged pecorino.Pair with seasoned salumi such as soppressata or capocollo.Spoon over roasted potatoes or warm focaccia.