A simple and effective way to familiarize yourself with the flavor and character of individual oils is to season and then taste small quantities of boiled potatoes: an ideal base thanks to their neutral flavor and texture that can be combined with different oils without altering their character.
It's a good idea to keep at least two different oils in your kitchen, each with its own distinct characteristics and effects, so you can try them raw on a variety of dishes. For example, you could opt for our Blend (multivarietal) and a single-variety olive oil like Olivastro .
In Italy, we're fortunate: we have a vast selection of truly excellent extra virgin olive oils, including 34 Italian DOP olive oils . In this sea of quality, how do you choose the right oil for your dish?
The general rule is concordance, meaning the combination of similar flavors and flavor intensities. But, as we'll see later, contrasting pairings are also possible.
The gastronomic pairing of extra virgin olive oil
Before starting, anyone who wants to try their hand at pairing extra virgin olive oil with food should familiarize themselves with the basics of extra virgin olive oil tasting.
For a correct organoleptic evaluation of EVO oil we analyze:
- the color , which however is in no way related to the quality of the product;
- the olfactory intensity and the nature of the aromas (green, fresh, vegetal);
- the consistency and intensity of the bitter and spicy flavours, combined with the persistence of the flavour in the aftertaste;
Only after having analyzed EVO oil to understand its fundamental characteristics can we move on to understanding which dishes and recipes to pair our extra virgin olive oil with .
The method we suggest following to pair extra virgin olive oils with food is based on:
- Balance : The weight and structure of an EVOO should be consistent with that of the dish. If a dish has a very rich and complex flavor, it should be paired with a very rich and complex EVOO; if a dish has a delicate flavor, we can't overpower it by pairing it with an overly strong olive oil (unless we're specifically looking for that).
- Enhance : As is well known, each oil has flavor notes that are distinct from those of other oils. One extra virgin olive oil may have a distinct tomato flavor while another may have a eucalyptus scent, so for the same dish, we might decide to enhance one flavor rather than another. Some examples? For a simple plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce, we might choose an extra virgin olive oil with a nice fruity note to enhance the flavor, or one with hints of basil to give the dish that missing balsamic note, or choose a basil-infused oil to bring out the full flavor of the sauce.
- Adding : Want to add a little bitterness to your recipe? Need a spicy kick to your soup, but don't want to add chili pepper? Want to give your shrimp tartare a citrus flavor? With the right extra virgin olive oil, you can do all this and more: adding aromas and flavors to your dishes by choosing the right extra virgin olive oil is like cooking with magic—a single product is worth 1,000 different ingredients!
Matching by affinity and production area
A general rule to follow when pairing food with extra virgin olive oil is to look for similarities between the type and intensity of the flavor .
One factor to consider is the intensity of the fruitiness in the oil, which can be light, medium, or intense: light fruity oils pair best with delicately flavored foods because they don't mask their flavor, while intense fruity oils with lingering bitter and spicy notes pair well with foods with more complex and bold flavors.
Another useful guideline is pairing by region : pairing typical dishes from a specific area with oils produced from olive varieties grown in that region.
For example, in Puglia, a winning combination is broad beans and chicory with quality Coratina oil.
Contrast Match
A less intuitive but equally rewarding method is to combine extra virgin olive oil for contrast .
To use this method, you need to look for flavors, aromas, and textures in the oil that directly contrast with those of the dish.
For example, you could pair a creamy pumpkin soup with a sweet and delicate flavor with an extra virgin olive oil with rather bitter notes.
And although it serves as a contrast, the oil should never denature the dish, but rather enrich it in terms of flavor and aroma. The result should achieve a perfect balance between the extra virgin olive oil and the dish .
The resulting pairing also reflects the oil's typical aromatic characteristics. The main aromas are bitterness and spiciness, which can be more or less intense.
The bitter (Olivastro D'Orazio) matches the typical aromas of vegetables and aromatic herbs, but also with smoking and grilled preparations.
A distinctly bitter oil is at its best when poured raw over pasta with pesto , grilled octopus or sautéed chicory.
Spicy (Pichioline) can add character to even the heartiest and most flavorful dishes. Try it on legume soups, pasta and chickpeas, sliced beef, homemade crostini, and tomato sauce. If you use high-quality oil, you won't even need chili pepper!
Rich sauces based on meat and bitter vegetables like radicchio and chicory pair perfectly with a strong, bitter extra virgin olive oil like Olivastro.
Grain salads, intensely flavored raw vegetables, bruschetta, soups, and summer salads like Caprese can be paired with extra virgin olive oils flavored with green vegetables, including tomato leaves, fresh herbs, artichokes, and aromatic herbs.
Our Peranzana, Olivastro, Pichioline, and Blend oils are ideal examples of this.
White meats, shellfish, seafood, white fish, cakes, desserts, and even ice cream pair perfectly with extra virgin olive oils with delicate aromas reminiscent of almonds, apples, and other white-fleshed fruits. To be on the safe side, we recommend Blend and Simone.
Grilled tuna, swordfish, marinated blue fish, grilled vegetables and fresh cheeses pair perfectly with aromatic oils such as lemon oil and garlic oil .
Winning combinations between extra virgin olive oil and dish
What are the winning combinations between dishes and extra virgin olive oil based on fruity flavors?
The combinations change based on the choice of a monovarietal or multivarietal oil (Blend).
Fruity is a particularly fragrant oil that can express itself with different intensities, which is why it is very versatile in pairing.
Medium fruity (single variety):
- boiled potatoes
- Mozzarella
- apple strudel
- boiled legumes
- soups
- grilled vegetables
- citrus salads
- boiled asparagus
- raw fennel
- marinated tuna
- fried freshwater fish (catfish, eel steak, frogs, minnow)
- jam tarts
- risottos
- fried shrimp
- anchovies with lemon
- stuffed squid
- tuna meatloaf
- stewed eel with polenta
- white meat
- red meat
A light, fruity oil (our Blend), characterized by delicate aromas reminiscent of almonds and white-fleshed fruit, will be more suitable to accompany delicate dishes, such as steamed vegetables.
Sweet oil pairs well with dishes such as fish and shellfish, risottos and white meats, but also:
- salads
- seafood
- boiled fish
- gratinated sole fillet
- sea bass with black olives
- potato or ricotta gnocchi
- mayonnaise-type sauces
- béchamel sauce
- velvety
- apple fritters
- simple focaccias
- sweets
The effect of the union between oil and food is extremely variable depending on:
- of the raw material
- of the chosen cooking types
- the temperature of the food (the oil behaves differently on a carpaccio than on a hot slice of meat)
- of their consistency and preparation (the oil will have a different effect on a carrot cream rather than on carrots in pinzimonio)
- of the quantity of oil used
Some types of extra virgin olive oil, with their own unique characteristics, will be more versatile and suitable for different uses, while others will be suitable for certain specific preparations.
However, experience and personal taste also count.
Our tips for pairing extra virgin olive oil with gourmet dishes are:
- try, taste, and discover many oils from many different regions: each time you'll discover a new aroma, a sensation never perceived before, and an original flavor to pair with a new preparation;
- try the same recipe with different extra virgin olive oils each time: this will help you become familiar with original ideas and provide you with new solutions.
