In the world of low-calorie diets, fats are often unfairly vilified. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), in particular, is commonly misunderstood—reduced to a high-calorie condiment to be limited or even avoided to maintain a healthy weight.

But EVOO doesn’t just not make you fat—it actively supports your metabolism and overall health.

This is a fat that interacts with human physiology, not just caloric intake. EVOO functions as a true metabolic modulator: it influences hunger, the glycemic load of a meal, liver activity, and nutrient absorption. It shouldn’t be evaluated purely in terms of calories, but in terms of function. Ask yourself: “How does what I eat actually work in my body?”

Appetite Control and Blood Sugar Balance

When added to meals, EVOO slows down gastric emptying. This leads to a more gradual release of sugar into the bloodstream and a slower insulin response. The result? Longer-lasting satiety and a reduced likelihood of rebound hunger caused by blood sugar spikes.

For example, pasta dressed with EVOO has a lower glycemic impact than the same portion served plain. Blood sugar rises more gradually and stays more stable—especially if the pasta is cooked al dente and finished in a pan with EVOO. This effect is measurable and meaningful for anyone seeking a balanced diet, especially with an eye toward preventing metabolic disorders.

Supporting Digestion and Liver Function

EVOO stimulates the liver and gallbladder, promoting bile production and flow. This is key not only for digesting fats but also for eliminating unwanted substances like cholesterol, hormonal metabolites, and drug residues. Bile is one of the body’s main routes for toxin elimination through the gut.

Enhanced Absorption of Vitamins

EVOO improves the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), all of which are essential for numerous bodily functions—from immune support and bone health to antioxidant activity and hormone regulation.

Cholesterol Benefits

Multiple studies have shown that regular consumption of extra virgin olive oil is associated with lower levels of LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) and better maintenance of HDL (the “good” cholesterol), promoting a healthier lipid profile and cardiovascular protection.

Natural Gut Cleanser

By encouraging bile flow and supporting regular bowel movements, EVOO also acts as a natural detoxifier. It helps eliminate waste products and supports a balanced gut microbiome.

Practical Tips

• Extra virgin olive oil should be used daily, with attention to quality—look for cold-pressed oils made from Italian or certified olives.
• Use it raw on vegetables, soups, grains, and legumes to enhance vitamin absorption and provide antioxidants, which are essential for keeping your metabolism youthful.
• In cooking, use EVOO to sauté or finish dishes—it boosts liver and bile function, aiding digestion.
• There’s no need to restrict its use for calorie reasons if your diet is balanced. The right amount depends on your individual needs, but avoiding or drastically reducing it—especially over long periods—is counterproductive.

EVOO isn’t the enemy of a fit body; it’s a metabolic activator. When used wisely as part of your daily diet, it helps regulate appetite, support liver detoxification, promote gut health, and prevent cardiovascular disease.

Cutting it out for the sake of aesthetics or calorie-counting means losing a powerful ally for overall well-being.

L'articolo The Fat That Doesn’t Make You Fat! proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

White and crispy, sure, but often … not very tasty: we are talking about rice cakes, a snack that has become very popular in recent years. There are those who munch them instead of bread, those who use them as an afternoon snack and those, on the other hand, who don’t particularly like them, complaining of an overly anonymous taste.

But did you know that, with the right ingredients, they can turn into a tasty snack? Let’s find out together how to flavor rice balls thanks to Frantoio Muraglia extra virgin olive oil and some recipes to make them really irresistible!

How to season rice cakes?

Spices and oil are certainly good ingredients for turning an uninviting rice cakes into a nice snack with a totally different taste. Start with the classic flavorings: rosemary, paprika, salt, basil or chili pepper. Add a drizzle of extra virgin oil and you have delicious spicy rice cakes that are much more inviting.

What’s the point of munching on an overly anonymous snack? Instead of overdoing it, try seasoning a galette the right way to give it a more chic patina and satisfy your craving for something tasty. On their side, in fact, galettes have the characteristic of adapting to both sweet and savory: they thus give you the chance to experiment and give your imagination a green light

Our extra virgin olive oil, with its rich taste and many nuances of flavor, is the best ally in this endeavor: thanks to its fragrances, seasoning a rice cake will become child’s play.

How to make rice cakes taste better with EVO oil?

Frantoio Muraglia’s evo oil can also add a touch of refinement and an infinity of aromatic nuances to rice cakes: the fruity notes of the oil marry perfectly with the crunchiness of the rice, creating a perfect balance of flavours and fragrances

An example? Our Basil Aromatic Oil: born from the pressing of olives with Basilico Genovese DOP, it brings all the flavour of both ingredients to your home and allows you to season your rice cakes in a simple and irresistible way. Try them with a spreadable cheese, such as a simple robiola cheese, add a drizzle of this oil and get ready to enjoy an enveloping and fragrant rice cake!

The same applies to our Chilli Pepper Aromatic Oil, which is ideal if you love stronger flavours. In this case, we have chosen to use another excellence, such as the Calabrian chilli pepper and to create an aromatic oil with unique fragrances. On the other hand, if you have an ethnic taste in cooking, you can season rice cakes with Ginger Aromatic Oil and thus add an extra touch of freshness.

And for those who want to stay true to the Mediterranean tradition? In this case, it is our fruity oils that are the real protagonists: Intense Fruity, born of the Coratina olive and the nuances of dill, fennel, pepper and hay and the more delicate Medium Fruity which exudes the fragrances of tomato, radish and rocket typical of the Peranzana olive.

And for those who want to be daring, here is the Aromatic Garlic and Chilli Peper Oil: ideal not only on spaghetti but also to enrich a simple rice cake with flavour.

What to put on top of rice cakes? Recipes to try

If bread and oil remains an evergreen combination, then the one with rice cake is no joke either: how about preparing a Mediterranean rice cake with a few ingredients, but full of flavour?

Cut some fresh cherry tomatoes and use them to season it; then add a few cubes of mozzarella cheese, some salt, a drizzle of Basil Aromatic Oil and savour: the taste will leave you breathless! After all, you know, the combination of mozzarella, tomato and oil is a timeless classic!

Looking for an alternative? Spread the cheese and add some anchovies, some cherry tomatoes, a chopped olive and our Ginger Aromatic Oil.

What to pair the rice cakes with?

To a variety of ingredients, ranging from salmon to chickpeas, avocado to chives. If you prefer delicate flavours, you can try flavouring a rice cake with a spreadable cheese (Philadelphia or ricotta cheese are perfect), a few slices of smoked salmon, a sprinkling of fresh dill and a drizzle of our Medium Fruity.

Another recipe for seasoning rice cakes? Here it is: spread them with Greek yoghurt, add a teaspoon of mustard, basil and chives and complete with a drizzle of Lemon Aromatic Oil for an extra touch of freshness.

And for an exotic variation? In this case, the recipe for really tasty rice cakes is to add chickpea hummus (you can make it following our tips), sliced avocado, a little paprika and a drizzle of Intense Fruity Oil.

Making rice cakes tastier is simple: all you need is a bit of imagination and, above all, the right ingredients! Frantoio Muraglia extra virgin olive oil is the perfect ally to enrich any dish with flavour: all you have to do is choose the combination you prefer and… start experimenting!

L'articolo How to flavor rice cakes? Use extra virgin oil! proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

High-quality EVO supports successful aging, promotes gut health, regulates metabolism, and plays a preventive role against chronic diseases. Its benefits go far beyond its flavor or calorie content.

EVO and Your DNA: A Conversation Between Nutrition and Genes

One of the most groundbreaking aspects of EVOO lies in nutrigenomics—the science that studies how nutrients influence gene expression.

The polyphenols found in EVOO—such as oleuropein, tyrosol, and hydroxytyrosol—activate longevity-associated genes like SIRT1, which are involved in cellular repair and metabolic regulation. In simple terms, EVOO helps cells renew themselves, stay youthful, and function better for longer.

Natural Antioxidants That Combat Aging and Inflammation

Aging accelerates due to oxidative stress and chronic inflammation—two processes that gradually damage cells. The bioactive compounds in EVO act as natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, neutralizing free radicals and reducing systemic inflammatory markers.

Several studies have shown that regular consumption of EVO can lower levels of CRP (C-reactive protein) and IL-6 (interleukin-6), two inflammation-related markers linked to numerous chronic conditions.

And the good news? You can combat inflammation at every meal simply by adding high-quality EVO. Thanks to its rich content of active compounds—especially polyphenols—it also nourishes beneficial gut bacteria and promotes microbial diversity. A healthy gut microbiome is crucial for immune function, hormonal balance, and even mental health—three pillars of a long and healthy life.

EVO and Nutrient Absorption: Enhancing the Power of Your Diet

Some essential nutrients—like vitamins A, E, and K2, as well as cancer-fighting phytonutrients—are fat-soluble, meaning they require dietary fat for proper absorption. EVOO acts as the ideal carrier, helping these nutrients reach your cells, while also slowing sugar absorption.

Here are some functional combinations:

• Pan-cooked broccoli with EVO: Enhances the bioavailability of protective compounds like sulforaphane.
• Carrot and arugula salad with EVO: Boosts absorption of carotenoids.
• Bread with EVO: Helps stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels, reducing post-meal glucose spikes and associated inflammation triggers.

The only real risk? cutting evo for the sake of calories.

Many weight-loss diets reduce fat intake to cut calories, but eliminating EVO is a mistake. Doing so deprives the body and metabolism of a vital regulatory agent. Extra virgin olive oil isn’t just a flavorful dressing—it’s a biological modulator with documented effects on longevity. It supports cellular health, balances the gut microbiome, and regulates inflammation and metabolism.

Incorporating EVO into your daily diet is a simple yet powerful habit—one that nurtures your body today and safeguards your health for the future.

Key Scientific Sources

• Extracts from studies published in Nutrients, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Cell Metabolism
• EFSA review on the health benefits of EVOO polyphenols (EU Regulation 432/2012)

L'articolo Olive Oil and Longevity: Extra Virgin Olive Oil as a Scientifically Proven Elixir proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

Extra virgin olive oil: the most original gift for a special moment! From wedding favours to the perfect gift idea for friends and co-workers at important times such as Christmas and Easter.

A tribute in the name of Frantoio Muraglia’solive oil can be an original idea react it, to be declined with many nuances: an aromatic oil for those who love surprises and experimentation, a robust oil for those who love tradition, and a delicate oil, yet rich in personality, for those who prefer softer flavours. Is that all? Of course not: the carnet of gifts that can be made using olive oil is vast and includes customised designer jars, tasting packs and even an original olive bonsai tree.

In short, EVO oil is an evergreen gift designed to always be appreciated by those who receive it, whether in the form of a jar or… a favour!

Extra virgin olive oil favours: to celebrate the most beautiful day

If we say wedding favours, probably the first thing that comes to mind is the classic ornament with a tulle bag of sugared almonds, which is given at every wedding and inevitably ends up gathering dust on a shelf in the living room. Its usefulness? Minimum.

In short, the usual ‘dust-catcher’ that is moved here and there when tidying up. But if the wedding favour is olive oil-based, the music changes.

Because we at Frantoio Muraglia have a new concept of wedding favours: following the new trends, which favour useful favours, we propose something new, which comes out of the universe of dust-catchers and becomes a never again without.

Favours, as we said, have changed their conception in recent years, transforming from negligible ornaments into useful objects: jars of honey or jam, candles with the image of the bride and groom and the date of the wedding, or gastronomic favours containing Apulian specialities such as taralli or homemade pasta.

Little jewels, sometimes DIY, that have been able to innovate the world of wedding combining simplicity, utility and elegance: the same things you can also find in our olive oil favours! We are talking about our customisable jars with the names of the bride and groom and the date of the wedding: a designer jar containing something just as precious as our extra virgin oil.

Designer orci, handmade and hand-painted by our ceramists, which go beyond the usual definition of a wedding favour and rightfully enter the universe of the beautiful but also the useful. Extraordinary design, white or decorated in the colours of the rainbow, Frantoio Muraglia‘s customisable wedding favours jars will amaze your guests with their elegance and will achieve your goal: to make them remember your wedding day every time they use your customised wedding favours in the kitchen!

Extra virgin olive oil jar: the perfect gift for Christmas

But a jar from Frantoio Muraglia is not only an original and useful favour: it can also become a splendid gift for a special occasion such as Christmas, for example. Giving a jar of olive oil for Christmas means giving someone you love a little bit of Puglia through the excellence of our territory, such as olive oil.

A jar, therefore, also becomes a piece of artistic value, which also preserves the extra virgin oil away from light and air, factors that could cause it to oxidise. But the eye also wants its part, which is why the choice among our jar collections is vast. Polka-dot jars, pop art jars, limited edition jars: you have the opportunity to choose the design you prefer, from jars signed by Apulian designers such as Stella Tasca and Pierpaolo Gaballo, to jars depicting elements of our land, such as prickly pears, octopuses and lobsters.

With a jar, therefore, you are not only giving olive oil of extraordinary quality, but also a design object that is perfect for the kitchen or the table: the ideal gift, in short, to impress relatives and friends with a touch of design!

Corporate gifts: how to impress everyone with extra virgin olive oil

The extra virgin olive oil from our mill, however, is also a perfect design idea for corporate gifts. It often happens, in fact, that one wants to present one’s employees with a Christmas present, but does not know what to give them. Nothing too work-related, but nothing useless either. So what? An agenda? A calendar? Or how about a gift pack?

A corporate gift, which translates into an oil tasting set or a basket filled with delicacies from our region, is always a good idea to get your greetings to their destination in the most appetising way… and the Frantoio Muraglia gift packs they never cease to amaze!

Hand-painted pitchers, taralli and olive jars, rainbow plates… and then he, the main protagonist: our olive oil and its many declinations, ranging from the Intensely Fruity, with its strong taste, to the Medium Fruity, ideal if you love delicacy, to our Olio Denocciolato, which, with its extraordinarily delicate flavour, is able to enhance the taste of the Coratina olive and make it appreciated even by those who usually prefer less robust and decisive oils.

Our beautiful hand-decorated jars are waiting to bring all the beauty of Apulian design and the fragrance of Apulian extra virgin olive oil to your team’s home.

Again, our jugs become personalised gifts that will bring the excellence of our olive oil to your staff‘s Christmas tables. In short, to make absolutely original and tasteful corporate gifts!

Extra virgin oil on Christmas tables and desserts

We have spoken of Christmas tables: our extra virgin olive oil, in fact, is not only on the Christmas table, with the designer jar, but also as an ingredient in the most delicious dishes that appear during the festive season, such as the Christmas and Boxing Day menus.

Christmas in Apulia has a great culinary tradition behind it, starting with the Christmas Eve menu. Fried fish, focaccia, capitone: these are the cornerstones of the menu on the evening of 24 December, followed by the actual Christmas lunch the next day.

A triumph of dishes ranging from lasagne and baked pasta to meat and vegetable stews. In short, Christmas in Apulia is also a feast for gourmets; and the condiment par excellence can only be Apulian extra virgin olive oil!

Perfect for first and second courses or for preparing tasty focaccia, olive oil is also the basic ingredient for delicious Christmas sweets: from cartellate, exquisite fried puff pastry cakes, to sweet pettole and mostaccioli, in which almonds are essential. But these are just a few of the many Christmas sweets for which extra virgin olive oil plays a key role, such as the pizza Settesfoglie or Santa Lucia’s eyes.

Extra virgin olive oil: also ideal for Valentine’s Day

After Christmas, but before Easter, there is another holiday that always comes with the desire to give presents. That’s right, we are talking about Valentine’s Day! Extra virgin olive oil is also perfect for organising a tasty home-made Valentine’s Day aperitif. How? Quick and easy!

With our extra virgin olive oil, you already have half of everything you need: just add a frisella, a few cherry tomatoes, salt and oregano and you have a tasty, Puglia-style bruschetta to enjoy with your partner.

But there are plenty of ideas for transforming your Valentine’s Day aperitif with Frantoio Muraglia. In this case, everything you will need is contained in our tasting pack: olives (can they ever be missing for a self-respecting aperitif?), small tasting bowls and, dulcis in fundo, our extra virgin olive oil in the Fumo, Aromatico and Fruttato Intenso versions. To celebrate Valentine’s Day with taste and delicacy.

What to give at Easter: a journey through taste

And for Easter? After Valentine’s Day, it is the next holiday. But what to give at Easter? Do the classic doves and chocolate eggs seem too traditional ideas to you and you fancy something new to surprise your loved ones? If you want to give Easter gifts that will create special memories, the best solution is to search the universe of products from Frantoio Muraglia. Perhaps to inaugurate a journey into the taste and world of olive oil by gifting your friends and relatives with a box of delicacies directly from Puglia.

Such as our Intense Fruity Oil, the ideal choice to introduce the taste of the Coratina olive to those who do not yet know it. Or our Olio Fumo, which marries the tradition of the Easter barbecue with its refined and unusual taste. An extra touch to accompany your outing with fragrances and flavours that will enchant every palate.

Elegant packages, designed not only to bring the goodness of our products into your home, but also to impress with their elegance and design. Because an oil from Frantoio Muraglia is not just an extra virgin olive oil, but a real journey into the flavours and traditions of Puglia, which starts with a design package.

Products and excellence that create new memories and new culinary experiments.

Two ways to feel united not only during the holidays, but throughout the year, creating new moments of joy, linked to the extraordinary taste of our extra virgin olive oil.

L'articolo The perfect gift for special moments is extra virgin olive oil Frantoio Muraglia proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

You know those ceramic oil jars? If you love jars from the Frantoio Muraglia collections, you know it by now: one of our jars is never just an oil container. In fact, the special feature of the jars we offer for our extra virgin olive oil is that they are true design objects: not for nothing are they handmade and hand-painted by Apulian ceramists.

That is why each of our jars is unique. What also makes them special are the limited editions we offer, such as the one signed by Pierpaolo Gaballo or the Gallo jar signed by designer Stella Tasca. A Frantoio Muraglia jar, therefore, is more than just a container.

But what to do when the oil runs out? In short, how to reuse used terracotta jars?

Let’s discover together some ideas for using a used oil jar in a different way.

Ceramic oil jars: how they were used in the past

It is said that the first jars were made by the Etruscans: the discovery that this pot-bellied container worked by hand could resist heat and cold and preserve oil well later led the jar to be used by the Romans also for storing wheat or wine. In 1612, it was then the Accademia della Crusca that gave a precise definition of an oil jar, a ‘vase of baked earth, mostly, to hold oil‘. In 1906, however, it was Pirandello who used the jar in his novella “La Giara”.

““That beautiful new jar, paid for with four dancing and resounding onze, while waiting for a place to be found for it in the cellar, was temporarily housed in the palmento. Such a jar had never been seen”.

The gigantic jar in question, bought by Don Lollò Zirafa in anticipation of the olive harvest, is the protagonist of the novella. A rich landowner, Don Lollò, buys a huge oil jar which one day is found broken. What to do but call in a craftsman, Zi’ Dima Licasi, who has discovered a miraculous mastic? But for Don Lollò mastic is not enough: he also needs staples.

To repair the jar according to Don Lollò’s instructions, however, the craftsman gets stuck inside the huge jar. The only solution is to break the jar altogether, but neither of the two contenders wants to give in: Don Lollò wants compensation for breaking the jar, while Zi’ Dima Licasi prefers to stay in the jar to avoid paying. In the end, it will be Don Lollò himself, enraged, who will kick the jar, which will roll down the coast and break against an olive tree, thus freeing the craftsman.

In short, a jar can have an important history, even touching on great literature. Full or… strangely full, as we have just seen, a jar has its own personality, dare we say it. But even when empty, a jar is important. Once the oil is gone, though, how to use an empty ceramic jar?

What to put in a used jar?

In Tuscany, already at the time of the Medici, the empty terracotta jar used to become a container for plants and also a decorative object for gardens and terraces. This custom gives us an idea for reusing used terracotta jars: adding the beauty of nature to our jar

Here then appears in the middle of the living room table a used jar, which can become a splendid coloured vase, perfect for holding cut flowers, such as a rose or a tulip. A note of colour, that of the ceramic jar, which combines with that of the flowers to give a touch of cheerfulness at all times!

But used terracotta jars can also be used as centrepieces. Among the alternative uses of an earthenware jar this is one of the most popular. For a lunch with friends, for instance; to liven up a tablecloth with a bit of colour; but also if you run a business such as a bar or restaurant. In this case, a used Frantoio Muraglia jar on every table will give uniformity and character to the place, as well as a typically Apulian note of colour!

Another idea for reusing used terracotta jars? Turn them into nice perfume jar holders, which can perhaps be placed on a bookshelf or TV stand. Thanks to their unique and elegant design, jugs from our collections are also perfect for adding a touch of original beauty to a living room.

So how can empty jars be used if, like ours, they have a strong personality and small dimensions? Paperweights, centrepieces, flower holders, perfume holders: here are some ideas for giving new life to a used jar and making it an integral part of your home decor. After all, beauty is also needed in everyday life: and with the used terracotta jars from the Frantoio Muraglia collections, from the Love jars to the Aragosta jar, adding a signature of beauty and a touch of design to your home is very easy!

L'articolo Used terracotta jars: how to reuse them after running out of oil proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

Summer, like every year, is coming to an end: but why not relive the wonderful holidays you just had by bringing home a souvenir to remind you of them? In recent years, instead of magnets and knick-knacks, the trend has been to return with typical products from the region visited.

Evo oil is a perfect souvenir for those who, in Apulia, have discovered the taste and fragrance of extra virgin olive oil from mills and no longer want to do without.

Olive oil: the best souvenir after a holiday

Tasty, rich in antioxidant properties and perfect for the diet: evo oil offers a host of health benefits, as well as being one of the cornerstones of the Mediterranean diet. Choosing Apulian olive oil as a holiday souvenir is therefore a popular option to recapture a bit of summer every time you add it to some dish. All the more so, if on holiday you have discovered the fragrances of an aromatic oil or a fruity extra virgin with a full-bodied flavour, typical of the oils in the Frantoio Muraglia range, and can no longer do without it.

Bringing home our extra virgin olive oil as a souvenir from Apulia is a perfect idea, in short, to bring traditional and non-traditional dishes to life, with that extra something that can make the difference and remind you of the summer you have just had, even during the winter.

What to bring home from holiday?

Cheeses, desserts, typical cured meats: many high-quality products are brought home from the holidays. Among these, you certainly cannot miss our evo oil as a souvenir! Perfect for recreating an Apulian bruschetta with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella on late summer evenings or able to give that extra touch to summer soups and velvety soups, piadinas or even homemade pesto. Perfect even when it’s snowing outside: the scent of an Apulian oil with fruity and fragrant notes can transport us for a few moments to a land of sea, sun and scents, while waiting for next summer.

Like our fruity oils: here the hints of spiciness and bitterness are balanced in a play of flavours to suit all tastes. In a high quality Medum Fruity oil, for example, the flavours will be in perfect harmony: this is why our Medium Fruity is a perfect choice for those who like to make a soup unique, but do not want to use an oil that is too structured and robust.

The aromas of the Peranzana olive, from which it originates, give a dish fragrances of tomato, rocket, radish and even a hint of artichoke. Suitable for short cooking and delicate dishes, fish and seafood, this oil can satisfy those who want to add flavour and fragrance to every dish, in a delicate way.

Souvenir from Apulia: extra virgin olive oil

The intense green of the Coratina olive enriches our Intense Fruity oil . An evo oil in which the flavours are in harmony and are suitable for those who like marked tones. Recipes with a personality such as ragout, game or grilled meats, when seasoned with our Intense Fruity oil, acquire an extra flavour that satisfies the palates of those who love structured oils and accentuated flavours.

Shades similar to those of Intense Fruity oil but more delicate are typical of Denocciolato oil: an oil that combines the strong flavour of Coratina with a more delicate nuance. Our Denocciolato comes from the pressed olive without the stone, thus lacking the tannic substances and polyphenols that make the fruitiness so intense. The result is a more delicate but equally fragrant oil, perfect for those who are not used to structured oils but can enrich fish dishes and steamed vegetables at the same time.

Our Olio Fumo is also perfect as a holiday souvenir. For those who love the taste of the grill, we have come up with a cold-smoked oil with beech wood, which could give this hint to any dish: even to a velvety aubergine soup or a simple ricotta cheese! And what about our aromatic oils? They are the best way to take home after your holiday a souvenir that reminds you not only of Puglia, but also of other regions known for their excellent products such as Liguria and Calabria. Genovese basil and Calabrian chilli pepper, in fact, are two of the excellences we have used to create some of our aromatics.

Bringing home one or more bottles of evo oil as a souvenir of your holiday in Apulia is certainly a great way to return, whenever you want, to a world of perfumes and fragrances: just add a drizzle of Frantoio Muraglia extra virgin olive oil to Frantoio Muraglia’s a recipe to rediscover, even during the winter, all the pleasure and fragrances of our Apulia… while waiting for next summer!

L'articolo Olive oil as a souvenir of holidays in Apulia proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

In the book of Genesis God created “man from dust of the ground” and again kneading the earth “he fashioned from the ground all manner of wild beasts and all the birds of the air”. A bit like a master craftsman who makes his creations out of clay from the ground.

For many pottery is a divine fruit. For us at Frantoio Muraglia it is one of the highest expressions of our tradition.

It is no coincidence that we contain the precious extra virgin olive oil in our unique jars finely decorated by Apulian master craftsmen. They are not mere objects but stories of the past and their ancient customs that merge with present everyday stories to project into the future.

We are pleased to present the new line of pitchers created in collaboration with designer Pierpaolo Gaballo. Like for us at Frantoio Muraglia, for Gaballo in each of his creations there is a thin red line that inextricably connects him to our beloved Puglia. Born in Salento, the artist is characterised by continuous research into himself and expressive form.

Black and white: hallmark of the new Gaballo line

The rainbow of the typical Frantoio Muraglia jars represents the thousand colours of our sun-kissed lands. Pierpaolo Gaballo’s limited edition of jars opens a more intimate and reflective phase that will be characterised by the two-tone of black and white.

According to the artists the two elements cannot be called colours. They are formed through light and black embodies precisely the absence of light. Conversely, white expresses the totality of light. In short, it is the starting point for the creation of all colour but it cannot yet be defined as such.

Whether white or black can be classified as a colour or not matters little. They represent complementarity, opposites attract. In the Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang, black and white come together to indicate the duality of the Universe. The one cannot exist without the other, just as night cannot exist without day. All the elements that make up the world are in some way interdependent on each other.

Thus, our extra virgin olive oil could not exist without a lush nature capable of giving us beautiful olive groves. At the same time man would not survive without a land capable of giving him its fruits. Man is also a metaphor for life and without this, nature could not exist either. An invisible circle unites every element of creation.

Pierpaolo Gaballo expresses the elements of the world through geometric symbols, giving his works an unmistakable trait. Ranging between geometric figures and figurative illustrations, he creates worlds suspended between an archaic past and a future that can only be imagined.

On the limited edition of jars for Frantoio Muraglia there will be three recurring figures: the square, the circle and the octagon.

The square has represented the earth since antiquity, while the circle symbolises the sky. The two figures together express a total. They are at the antipodes, yet completely interdependent. One would not exist without the other.

The octagon is the link between the two levels and could be none other than man and his tireless work.

Gaballo’s hidden messages are the right synthesis of our passion. We have been working our land for five generations, respecting it and taking care of it. The sky gives us that unmistakable air that characterises Apulia and allows our olive trees to grow healthy and mighty. The intersection of these three elements leads us to an extraordinary result: Frantoio Muraglia’s extra virgin olive oil.

Subjects on the jars: the king and mother nature

Pierpaolo Gaballo signed the first two subjects of our limited edition of jars. Prominent among the geometric symbolic figures we mentioned earlier are the king and Mother Nature.

The monarch is a figure characterised by the wisdom bestowed by life experience. He is a guide: he can always point his subjects in the right direction. The people esteem him for his actions and consider him an example to be followed and passed on to future generations. All his qualities can be encapsulated in one word: excellence. The same excellence that you will find when you taste the extra virgin olive oil inside the King’s jar.

For us at Frantoio Muraglia excellence is not just a goal to be achieved but a true obsession. We are “stubborn” like our first ‘king’ Savino Muraglia senior who bought a piece of land on the Murgia plateau despite the fact that everyone told him that with olives you cannot make a fortune. We have been following our path for five generations now continuing to harvest the olives by hand and cold–press them in the ancient stone mill. Those who choose our extra virgin olive oil will be able to taste our personal concept of excellence.

The second subject of the jars is Mother Nature, the personification of nature in the form of a woman. This timeless female image generates and gives life. It represents such a strong symbolism that its earliest traces go back as far as prehistoric times, followed in later centuries by the mythical Greek and Roman goddesses.

With this jar Frantoio Muraglia celebrates the creation and power of nature in all its forms. The earth represents life for our extra virgin olive oil. Like an ancient goddess, it creates our olive trees that are so fundamental to our business. It gives life to every hint of scorched earth, to every colour warmed by the sun, to every blue of the crystal clear sea that makes our Puglia, a unique and unmistakable place where the stories of men and women are irrevocably intertwined with nature. They are complementary, interdependent. They are our black and white.

The limited edition of jugs from the Gaballo line is available on our website, and can be purchased in the best specialised sales outlets.

L'articolo Gaballo line jars: a special limited edition proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

We at Frantoio Muraglia do not just produce oil: for years now, we have been bottling our extra virgin olive oil in a real design object: the terracotta jar. An object that serves to bring Apulian oil to the table but which also takes on a different meaning, becoming a work of art.

Design jars Frantoio Muraglia’shave always been entrusted to artists and creative people of the highest calibre; so much so that they are never simply containers for a product, albeit an excellent one but real creative ideas, original solutions, intuitions with a contemporary yet ancient taste which go well with the high quality, purity and genuineness of thethe extra virgin olive oil they contain.

The challenge we want to take forward? To ensure that our oil is not only an excellent extra virgin olive oil but also that it is considered a true work of art: we want our jars already highly appreciated by lovers of beauty, to also become the object of desire for lovers of art and design. An adventure that continues thanks to the flair and creativity of the artists involved: a dialogue between a high quality product and the flair of creative people in the name of tradition, but to revolutionise it.

If up to now in the Frantoio Muraglia jars we have been talking about our history, now we want to open up new avenues and revolutionise a true Apulian terracotta icon: the image of the rooster. How? With another designer terracotta jar, this time created by designer Stella Tasca and inspired by our traditional rooster!

Frantoio Muraglia’s signature Gallo jar by designer Stella Tasca

The apulian terracotta and its pitchers, in fact, have among their most representative subjects precisely the rooster, a classic souvenir of this region: from plates to jugs, from cups to bowls, the master potters of Grottaglie have made the rooster a true symbol of Apulia and its identity.

And it is precisely this icon that we at Frantoio Muraglia are now revisiting and reinterpreting in our new Gallo terracotta jar, created by designer Stella Tasca. But why the rooster? Because its symbolism brings back deep meanings, linked to light, rebirth, the sun and truth.

The rooster icon: the ancient symbolism of rebirth.

Since antiquity Greeks and Romans linked the rooster to the god Mercury, god of eloquence and trade. Like the deity the rooster was also seen as a messenger of the sun and a symbol of rebirth of the victory of truth over falsehood

In the 20th century, this ancient tradition came back into the limelight, when the rooster became stronger, haughty, colourful, a popular icon but also a flicker of colour.

In the ceramics of the Grottaglie masters the rooster remains an important symbol because this animal and its crowing are identified above all with the sun. The rooster is the messenger of each new day, the sentinel that calls the world to awakening, that greets the new day and invites us to a new beginning: a rebirth that is also spiritual, a return to truth after a night of fear, injustice and lies.

The rooster chases away the darkness and brings back the light, hence the truth: and after a year and a half spent amidst the anxieties and closures that we have unfortunately come to know with the Coronavirus, a symbol of light and rebirthis just what we all need.

And it is precisely on this rebirth and symbolism that designer Stella Tasca’s work for the Gallo terracotta jar signed Frantoio Muraglia focuses. The artist has precisely focused her stylistic research on the rooster as a symbol of renewal:

“I focused on the meaning of rebirth,” he says, “and I imagined it as a big eye, which for me represents the ability to look and therefore to understand being present in things: in this case, a prodigious abandonment of darkness. A watchful and attentive eye emerging from a cloud, symbolising therefore the ability to rise again, which now gives the earth water, the source of life, which will then become precious oil.“

L’Orcio Gallo: oil as the identity of Apulia & symbol of light

The rooster by Stella Tasca, a designer known for her style and bright colours, becomes a ‘floral’ animal, as she herself defines it: a flash of light, sun and colour proud as one who finds a new way, reaching out towards a new road. Its tail evokes and celebrates the olive tree, another symbol par excellence of Apulian identity, thus linking it even more closely to the territory and the product that the terracotta oil jar encloses and protects: the rooster’s feathers become olive leaves, and thus life itself.

Accompanying such ancient suggestions with bold, ultra-modern fluorescent colours, the Stella Tasca and Frantoio Muraglia rooster is a positive, bold and carefree icon, complemented by a touch of gold on its wings and eye for an original and bursting effect. Thejar, a terracotta Gallolconcentrate of rebirth, ight and Apulian identity, carries a product equally rich in character, symbolic strength, flavour and aroma:oil Intensely Fruity , which Frantoio Muraglia’swill accompany your dishes with a beneficial burst of light and colour as well as its ancient, original and unmistakable taste.

Summer is coming: the days are finally getting longer and sunlight is resuming its space in our lives and days. The rooster Stella Tasca’s terracotta oil jar for the Frantoio Muraglia sings to us all, inviting us to re-embrace the light after months of darkness, urging us to be reborn and let the returning sun flood us.

Not a simple earthenware jar for oil, then, but a design success with a profound meaning, which becomes a tribute to tradition and an affirmation of originality, courage and optimism. The Gallo oil jar of Frantoio Muraglia created by Stella Tasca, thus becomes a symbol of a new light and rebirth, for all of us.

–> discover the Il Gallo ceramic jar

L'articolo Frantoio Muraglia launches Orcio Gallo by designer Stella Tasca proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

Wine and oil are two elements that are never lacking in our kitchens and in the Mediterranean diet.

Their bond is very strong: both are produced by processing fruit that must be cultivated with great skill. The taste and smell of wine and oil depend precisely on the fruits and crops from which they come. The location where the vines are grown and the olive trees are cultivated, the weather conditions, the origins of the plant, the processing, the storage condition the quality of the wine as much as that of the oil.

Since the organoleptic qualities of wine and oil vary greatly from one type of product to another, it is a good idea to follow some tips for matching them.

How to pair wine and oil?

Two strategies can be followed to determine how to combine flavours and smells in cooking.

One can choose a pairing by concordance: in this case, with regard to both wine and oil, one tries to find flavours that go along with those of the dish, without creating contrasts.

In short, wine (or oil) and food must have common characteristics: sweet with sweet, delicate with delicate, and so on

Then there is pairing by contrast: if you choose this strategy you will choose contrasting flavours, but trying to balance the dish, without creating disharmony.

These same logics can be used to match oil and wine: learning how to consciously pair these two foods will allow you to prepare dinners and lunches in which flavours and smells are well balanced and in which dishes acquire depth.

Let us therefore see how to plan your dinners by choosing the right wine and oil.

If you decide to prepare white meat or fish, the perfect dressing is a light fruity EVO oil. You can choose for such a delicate dish a light wine such as a Chardonnay or a Vermentino.

In this case the guiding thread is lightness, together with delicacy: you are therefore thinking in terms of indulging the flavours, without looking for strong contrasts.

How to combine oil and wine in the tastiest dishes?

If you want to prepare a dish with a more important flavour such as a legume soup or barbecued red meat, it is best to choose an oil with a stronger flavour and aroma, such as medium-fruity extra virgin olive oil.

Bonarda dell’Oltrepò Pavese or Barbera piemontese, Rosso di Montalcino go very well with these dishes and with this oil because they match because of their strong but harmonious flavours.

If you want to prepare a nice creamy soup, perhaps of pumpkin, the medium-fruity oil will enrich the dish with flavour, but the advice is to pair it with a white wine, dry, with some bubbles.

Or medium-dry wines go well with fruity extra virgin oil.

If we want to offer our guests bruschetta with garlic, tomato and basil, the oil to use is an intense fruity extra virgin oil, so as to stand up to these very tasty ingredients and enhance their qualities even more. Accompany with a Chianti or a Franciacorta.

If we want to play even more with flavours and aromas, we can add a variable using aromatic oils. We at Frantoio Muraglia have come up with four aromatic bouquets, namely Lemon PGI Rocca Imperiale, Celery, Ginger and Calabrian Chilli. Each of these aromatic oils opens up a world of different combinations.

Other elements to consider when pairing wine and oil

Of course, these are only suggestions, or rather suggestions, that we would like to provide you with.

There are other characteristics to consider when matching wine with dishes: if a dish prepared with butter must take into account the kneading quality typical of animal fats, a dish prepared with oil has different characteristics.

Olive oil brings with it sensations of unctuousness and viscosity.

We are talking not only about taste buds but the sensations, the textures that are felt on the palate and tongue.

The choice of wine also depends on this: a fried fish is best accompanied by a wine with a higher alcohol content because it balances out the unctuousness, while a succulent red meat, i.e. one that causes strong salivation, should be balanced with a red wine, rich in tannins, which bring salivation back to the right levels, ‘drying out the mouth’ so to speak.

Furthermore, study by researchers at the University of Bordeaux found that extra virgin olive oil improves the taste of red wine and that the explanation lies in the fact that the chemical components of oil and wine come into play.

In short, not only do chefs and our taste buds, as well as our noses tell us that combining wine and oil is an excellent idea: science too has brought us certified proof of the validity of their union.

The important thing is to know how to choose the best wines and oils, those of which our tradition has always been rich.

It will be up to you to try, to experiment, to match wine and oil to take up each day from dish to dish, from meal to meal, the challenge of taste that our extra virgin olive oil poses to you.

L'articolo Wine and extra virgin olive oil: how to combine them proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

Reduce it – if necessary – but never eliminate it altogether. This is what nutritionists say about extra virgin olive oil in the context of slimming diets and low-calorie diets. Yes, because the nutritional values and calories of extra virgin olive oil are of great importance for our health.

As much as it is part of fats, in fact, oil is too valuable to think about not consuming it as part of a healthy, however restrictive, eating style.

Olive oil is in fact rich in nutrients and elements that are very important for the human organism and its health; among the main ones are:

• Vitamin E
• Linoleic acid
• Polyphenols
• Monounsaturated fats
• polyunsaturated fats

The value of these nutrients is recognised with the possibility of labelling so-called ‘health claims‘ that emphasise their presence and benefits. Extra virgin olive oil is also essential to aid digestion, promote peristalsis and improve the assimilation of nutrients (e.g. vitamins) contained in other foods.

Olive oil calories and other nutritional values: let’s find out together

How many calories does extra virgin olive oil have? Let us take a closer look at the nutritional values of extra virgin olive oil and understand how to adjust the quantities so as not to give up the pleasure and benefits of extra virgin olive oil even if we have to cut calories.

Let’s start with the fact that 100 grams contain 899 kcal, totally provided by the lipids (most of which are monounsaturated fatty acids rich in health-promoting properties). This means that the calories of a tablespoon of oil – about 10 grams, while a teaspoon measures half as much – are a meagre 90.

But in addition to the kcal, the same tablespoon of oil also contains other valuable substances such as vitamin E (about one gram) and linoleic acid (just under one gram); among the main properties oflinoleic acid, we would like to point out its cholesterol-lowering: it helps to lower cholesterol levels in the blood and in particular those of LDL, the so-called ‘bad cholesterol’.

When it comes to the calories of olive oil, therefore, we are not talking about ’empty’ calories, but an important building block in the framework of daily nutritional requirements.

Olive oil: calories and… unique properties

But how does the discussion change when we talk about the calories of olive oil and those of other oils? And where is the difference between the nutritional value of extra virgin olive oil and that of other oils? Contrary to what one might think, from a caloric point of view, other vegetable oils – i.e. extracted from seeds such as rapeseed or sunflower seeds, or from other products such as maize or peanuts – are equivalent to olive oil (extra virgin or not) or differ little from it.

These oils too often have interesting health properties (think for example of linseed oil, rich in essential polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6), but they do not reach the complexity and importance of extra virgin olive oil (and this also applies to non-extra virgin olive oils).

Moreover, most of the vegetable oils commonly on the market are not extracted mechanically – by pressing or other similar processes as is the case with extra virgin, but through the use of chemical solvents or other processes that affect their nutritional profile. This is why, for the same number of calories, it is not worth giving up extra virgin oil in favour of other seed oils.

Olive oil and nutritional values: how to read the label

It will also be useful to pay attention to the oil label you intend to buy, which is full of useful information on many aspects, including the nutritional values of extra virgin olive oil. As of 2016, it is in fact mandatory to include the ‘nutritional declaration’ on the label, implementing an EU regulation in force since 2011. On the label we therefore find mentioned:

• energy value (expressed in kcal)
• il contenuto di grassi, acidi grassi saturi
• carbohydrate content
• sugar content
• protein content
• salt content

Indications about the content of monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, polyols, starch, fibre are also optional; other values not expressly provided for may not be given.

Calories extra virgin olive oil: how to use oil in low-calorie diets?

Staying on the subject of extra virgin olive oil and calories, then, how much extra virgin olive oil should be used in a normal diet and when following a diet based on a reduced calorie intake? To take advantage of the considerable beneficial properties of a good quality extra virgin oil, the recommended daily amount of extra virgin oil is about three tablespoons, which equals about 270 calories.

If you are on a diet, you can limit yourself to two tablespoons of extra virgin oil, perhaps ‘cutting’ the total calorie count by giving up the less nutritionally important ones (e.g. those provided by alcohol or added sugars).

Another useful indication is to favour its use raw, avoiding fried foods and overly seasoned sauces to keep its nutritional properties intact. Once again, it is worth emphasising the importance of choosing a quality olive oil. In addition to being richer in polyphenols and other beneficial substances, a top-quality product also has the advantage of having a better and often – depending on the variety and other choices made during harvest and production – more intense flavour; this means that only a little is needed to give a unique and very pleasant taste to every dish.

Extra virgin olive oil is an ally when it comes to kcal and nutritional values: a little is enough to enrich a dish with flavour. All the more so when it is of the highest quality, like Frantoio Muraglia’s signature oil. Our oils provide an extraordinary aroma and flavour, suited to everyone’s palate.

From those who love strong flavours, like those of the Aromatic Chilli Oil or Intense Fruity, to those who prefer more balanced flavours, like those of Medium Fruity. And for those who always want to experiment with new flavours, here are our Aromatic Oils: a whole range of oils born from the contamination with other Italian excellences, such as Basilico Genovese DOP or Limone di Rocca Imperiale.

L'articolo Calories of olive oil: what are the nutritional values? proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

Our passion for extra virgin olive oil has often led us to deal with different topics involving it, from its composition to the health benefits of olive oil, from its processing at the mill to the tastiest recipes typical of our region. Another important aspect we want to consider today is the colour of the oil.

What colour is extra virgin olive oil?
Why does oil turn from green to yellow?
Why is freshly made olive oil very green?
Why does olive oil change colour?
Why does oil turn white?
When does oil turn dark?

These are just some of the most frequently asked questions about the colour of extra virgin olive oil. So how about finally answering the doubts you have always had and finding out why an oil has a particular colour that changes over time?

The colour of extra virgin olive oil

What colour is extra virgin olive oil? The answer is… many! It would be wrong to state, in fact, that extra virgin oil has only one colour: its nuances are many and range from deep green to bright green, from straw yellow to golden yellow. In short, there is a whole palette of nuances and colours that can tell the story of the characteristics of a certain type of oil.

But on what do all the shades of colour that we can find in extra virgin olive oil depend? On different factors: the type of cultivar, the area of origin, the type of soil, the degree of ripeness of the olives used, the state of preservation and the presence of chlorophyll and carotenes.

When we talk about extra virgin olive oil we cannot speak of just one colour, but of a universe of tones: in that liquid gold, in fact, there are so many nuances concealed that they would make a Renaissance painter envious. And this universe of tones that awaits us can tell us many things about extra virgin oil, even if the colour itself is not taken into account in the panel test for quality assessment.

There are excellent deep green oils as well as excellent yellow oils: the only way to test their characteristics is through tasting. But precisely to avoid colour influences during the panel test the oil is placed in dark glasses that hide its hue: it must therefore only demonstrate its quality through taste and fragrance.

Why does oil turn yellow from green?

Here is another very popular question when it comes to the colour of oil. Among the factors that give oil a certain colour are carotenes and chlorophyll. These pigments have an antioxidant effect and both must be understood in order to best preserve the oil and discover its characteristics.

Why is freshly made olive oil very green? Because it is still a young oil, obtained from unripe olives and therefore still rich in chlorophyll.

However chlorophyll degrades over time giving way to yellow which is obtained from carotenes, the other important pigment in oil. This is also affected by the composition of the soil and the type of cultivar used. The Coratina olive, which is typical for our Intense Fruity Oil, is rich in antioxidants and is pressed when it is still in the early stages of ripening. In this way, it gives the extra virgin olive oil an intense green colour, which comes precisely from the chlorophyll.

On the other hand olives pressed when fully ripe, such as Taggiasca olives, will have already lost their chlorophyll content and will therefore give the extra virgin oil a lighter hue and a yellowish colour.

In other cases it may happen that the colour tones are too bright and bright, smelling fake, also associated with uncommon fragrances. This is an important clue, suggesting that the oil has been refined: through this process, carried out at high temperature, the oil loses much of its colour and flavour, acquiring a lighter colour that is not, however, indicative of high quality.

Or it may happen that olive leaves have been added during pressing – a practice that gives the oil a more intense green colour but also risks making it more bitter and less graceful in its flavour – or even synthetic chlorophyll. But when choosing a top-quality oil such as that of Frantoio Muraglia, such worries are misplaced: just let yourself be guided by our experience to be sure of consuming a top-quality product.

Why does oil turn dark?

One of the most important things to remember when storing an extra virgin olive oil correctly is not to expose it to the sun or heat: exposure to high temperatures and oxygen in the air may cause it to oxidise and thus go rancid.

A rancid oil may present a darker colour tending to that of whisky, as well as a very strong and unpleasant smell. Extra virgin olive oil is stored in dark bottles or tins precisely to protect it from light. The best thing, therefore, is to keep it in a closed cabinet, protected from light and from temperatures that are too high or too low: only in this way can its quality be preserved at its best and its full flavour be enjoyed.

Why does oil turn white?

We talked about too high and too low temperatures: have you noticed that your extra virgin olive oil has white spots or dots? What does this mean? Is it a bad quality oil?. No, much more simply it has been stored cold and has undergone a freezing process.

The triglycerides that make up the oil have crystallised creating white pellets that tend to settle at the bottom of the bottle. Once restored to the ideal temperature of 14 to 18 degrees it returns to a liquid state and can be used safely

Of course, it would be better not to go that far, but to take care of the extra virgin oil as best you can, to preserve its characteristics (including colour) and fragrance, storing it properly at the right temperature and in the dark.

The colour of extra virgin olive oil is ultimately a valuable source of information that tells us about the type of oil we are looking at. What would you say, then, to try its many shades of colour and flavour, choosing a high quality oil like the one from Frantoio Muraglia? All the flavour of the Coratina and Peranzana olives is waiting to amaze you with their ever-changing fragrances, declined in the many oils available in our online shop!

L'articolo The colour of extra virgin olive oil: answers to frequently asked questions proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

Once upon a time, when people spoke of a label, they spoke of good manners. Of course, the first meaning of the word is ‘tag’, to identify a product: but in ancient times such tags, labels, also served to set practical rules for life in society and the ceremonial of the courts. Precepts for behaving in the best way on every occasion, in short; but always in the name of good taste.

Well, even when we talk about extra virgin olive oil, we talk about labels… and good taste! Yes, because knowing how to read the label of an oil means knowing how to evaluate it, to avoid nasty surprises and to really know this product, to appreciate it at its best.

Because the label of an extra virgin olive oil tells us where that oil comes from and guarantees its quality. As well as giving a whole range of information that describes and marks this product. An indispensable guide in the name of flavour.

Label: the passport to extra virgin olive oil

The oil label is the tool that allows the consumer to understand what the product is. A text that, just like an official document must contain certain essential characteristics: starting with the name, depending on its type whether it is extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, simple olive oil or olive-pomace oil.

If we speak of the former it must be specified by law on the label that it is ‘superior category olive oil, obtained directly from olives and solely by mechanical means’. Other indications that can be found on the label with reference to extra virgin oil are ‘cold pressed‘ or ‘cold extracted‘, which are used when the olives are pressed at a temperature below 27°.

What are the compulsory indications that must be on the olive oil label?

As we have said, the first mandatory indication is the designation of sale and origin. Then the net quantity indicated in litres, centilitres and millilitres in full or abbreviated form, must be compulsorily indicated on the oil label.

The third piece of information that olive oil labels must state is the minimum preservation date (the words ‘best before‘): in other words, the expiry date by which the product must be consumed. By this date, which is generally between twelve and eighteen months after bottling, the oil retains all its organoleptic characteristics.

If stored correctly, oil can be consumed even after this date but it may start to lose some of these characteristics. The oil’s label also states the storage conditions (generally, you will find the words ‘store in a cool, dry place away from light and heat sources‘ or similar).

What should the oil label contain?

Is that all? Of course not. The label of extra virgin olive oil must also contain other information. For example, the name or company name and address of the producer. In other words, who produces it. Next, the country of origin and the batch of origin (a series of numbers preceded by the letter L, important for identifying any non-compliant products that may have ended up, accidentally or otherwise, on the market).

Since 2016, nutritional information has also been mandatory on the oil label, i.e. all information about the energy value of the food. All the fats (monounsaturated, saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids), carbohydrates, protein, fibre and salt that the oil contains.

How to make an olive oil label?

When producing an extra virgin oil it is mandatory to provide the consumer with all the information we have just discussed. But what else makes the extra virgin olive oil label truly unique? The style.

Frantoio Muraglia’s olive oil is unmistakable: on the labels of our extra virgin olive oil we put, in addition to the obligatory information also what makes the different types of oil recognisable. For example, the image of the olives to emphasise our Monocultivar; but also the other ingredients that match the taste of our extra virgin, such as basil, ginger, chilli pepper and lemon.

Extra virgin olive oil is a friend with an unmistakable taste: but for the encounter with this friend to be really tasty it is important to learn about it. The label is the first impact with the oil: it is its first impression. And although we know that the clothes do not make the man, the first impression is certainly something important.

Therefore, knowing how to read the label of an extra virgin olive oil becomes a useful resource for meeting… the right friend in the form of an oil; for avoiding unpleasant taste surprises and for starting – or continuing – a taste experience in the kitchen in the best possible way.

L'articolo How to read the label of extra virgin olive oil proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

“Having your own oil mill is everything” says Savino Muraglia senior: today we explain why having your own oil mill is so fundamental to obtaining the best extra virgin olive oil possible.

We talk about a journey that starts from the olive tree, passes through the mill and arrives at the bottle or as in the case of Frantoio Muraglia at the jar.

To have a great product it is not enough that the raw materials are excellent, it is also essential that the production process is perfectly controlled at all stages.

Whoever works in the mill must in a certain sense accompany the olives from the tree to the final consumer without missing any stage of processing and storage.

To obtain the best extra virgin olive oil, therefore, one must start with the olive harvest.

he olive harvest and storage before milling

A fundamental step in producing a quality extra virgin olive oil is the harvesting of the drupes, i.e. the olives at the right time and in the right way. By appropriate we mean not only that the olives should be harvested at a certain time of the year, but also that they should be stored in a way that does not damage them.

The timing of the olive harvest depends on many factors: the quality of the olives, the climate of the area, and also of that specific season.

It is important that the olives have reached the right point of ripeness, so they should not be picked too early or too late. Harvesting the olives at the right time, when the colour changes from green to purple, as we have explained in this article on oliveharvesting, influences the quality of the oil in several ways: on the organoleptic qualities first and foremost it also affects the nutritional properties of the oil by varying the proportion of saturated/unsaturated fats.

After harvesting, the olives must be stored and transported from the olive grove to the mill.

This phase must take place in a very short time and this is where the proprietary mill becomes essential: to obtain the best extra virgin oil, the olives must be processed in 24 to 48 hours maximum.

To process them so quickly, not only must the journey be shortened, but the transformation into oil must take place quickly: if the olives are not processed very quickly, the fruit may ferment or come into contact with excessively high temperatures.

These processes, which must be avoided at all costs, then give rise to certain organoleptic defects.

Oil defects: what happens if the olives are not processed quickly

If the olives have been piled up for a long time, the oil may develop both a smell and a taste defect called reheating: this is due to the fact that the olives have suffered an advanced degree of lactic fermentation.

The term ‘spoiled‘ also describes a defect that is perceptible to smell and taste and is due to the formation of acetic acid, ethyl acetate and ethanol in too large quantities. It is caused by prolonged or incorrect storage, such as when olives are piled up in large quantities.

Wrong storage of olives can also cause the onset of mould due to moisture: this defect then also remains in the oil, giving it a mouldy taste and smell.

The oil can also turn out rancid both in taste and smell, because again oil or olives have undergone an auto-oxidative process due to prolonged contact with the air.

In addition to these organoleptic defects, inadequate and prolonged storage causes a significant reduction in phenolic substances, i.e. the substances that are good for you and present in significant quantities when it comes to quality evo oil.

Olives at your own mill: how to maintain olive quality

Having olive groves, harvesting the olives, storing them and transporting them to the oil mill in a short ensures that the olives are not ‘mistreated’, that they are harvested, stored, and transported in an appropriate manner without ruining the fruit, respecting the time and integrit, but this is not enough.

Even the processing of the olives at the mill must take place according to certain procedures and with scrupulous controls. We have already talked about the very short time and that is why last year we invested in new and modern machinery t hat allows us to work better: the goal is not so much to produce a greater quantity of oil, but to process the olives in half the time,preserving the freshness and quality of the fruit.

So the olives go to the mill where they are processed strictly cold, because temperature is another important factor in the quality of the evo oil.

So that’s why Savino Muraglia senior said that ‘Having your own mill is everything’.

Having our own mill therefore allows us to have a substantial part of the supply chain in our hands and to be able to control all the phases to obtain the best extra virgin olive oil, but also to be able to identify problems quickly, to be able to experiment and innovate: now all that remains is to try our oil in all its nuances of flavours and fragrances..

L'articolo The advantages of having your own oil mill proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

The art of mixology is constantly evolving: bartenders love to experiment and, among the emerging trends, the use of unconventional ingredients such as evo oil certainly stands out. Typical culinary ingredients that have never been used to prepare drinks.

An example? The cocktail ‘The Oliveto‘, created by London bartender Phillip Pip Hanson, or the ‘Madre Martini‘, by bartender Sabina Yausheva: both have given new life to mixology by integrating evo oil into cocktails.

As well as being a protagonist of the table, useful for preparing risotto, spaghetti or tasty velvety soups, extra virgin olive oil is therefore also about to become an excellent companion in the world of cocktails. But how to use it? Let’s discover together how its texture and fragrances can help us revisit classic drinks and create new flavour experiences.

Cocktails with evo oil: a balance of taste and texture

The use of extra virgin olive oil in cocktails is important both for the taste and for the texture of the drink we are preparing: it can add a silkiness and a velvety touch, matching the freshness of the other ingredients used.

To do this, one chooses to shake it together with the other ingredients of a cocktail, add a few drops at the end or sprinkle it. The oil is then mixed with the other, more ‘watery’ ingredients of the drink. In some cases, then, one prefers the infusion technique of fat washing and goes to combine the fat (and thus the oil) with an alcoholic spirit, such as gin, flavouring the distillate and giving it the silkiness of the oil.

Of course, there is one fundamental rule underlying the process of creating an extra virgin olive oil cocktail: you have to use ingredients, and therefore an oil, of high quality!

Mixology draws its inspiration from cooking, borrowing an ingredient that is a prince of the table, such as oil, to enrich a drink with its qualities: to achieve the best possible result it is necessary that the oil in question has the right characteristics. A unique flavour, fragrances you can smell and the intense yet delicate character that permeates this ingredient. And what better oil than our signature Frantoio Muraglia?

Mediterranean Martini: a cocktail with gin and olive

The Mediterranean Martini is the first of the recipes we want to experiment with: in this case we are going to revisit the classic Martini so dear to 007, “Shaken, not stirred“, adding the fragrances of evo oil. So let’s get some ice, 200 ml of gin, 10 ml of vermouth, 50 ml of evo oil and three olives. After all, the peculiarity of the Martini is precisely that it is served in the typical V-cup with olives, isn’t it?

We start by pouring the gin, vermouth and oil into a shaker filled with ice and shake energetically. Then we pour the drink into a martini glass and add a few olives for garnish. But we can also decide to flavour the gin directly with oil using the fat washing technique. In this case we pour the gin into a pitcher, add the evo oil, stir and let it sit in the freezer for a few hours.

The oil will freeze, forming a wafer: remove it and strain the gin through a strainer and funnel. Now pour the filtered gin into a mixing glass (or jug) and add the vermouth and ice: now stir and pour into a martini glass, garnishing with olives or a lemon peel. Our cocktail with olive gin and olive oil is ready to be enjoyed with friends!

Cocktails with oil: here are more ideas for preparing them

Our Frantoio Muraglia extra virgin olive oil also becomes the ideal companion in another cocktail: we are talking about ‘Cetarese‘, from the idea of Campania barman Alex Frezza. In this case, 45 ml of ice-cold Muma Gin, 15 ml of Vermouth, a drop of Frantoio Muraglia extra virgin olive oil, a drop of colatura di alici di Cetara (anchovies from Cetara) are used and everything is mixed using the Stir & Strain technique.

Basically, one starts by pouring the ice into a mixing glass and then throwing away only the water produced by the melting of the ice. The ingredients are then poured into the mixing glass, stirred with a stirrer (also known as a bar spoon) and then strained with the help of a strainer (a tool similar to a colander) pouring the cocktail (without ice) into a clean, frozen glass.

How about a Bloody Mary revisited with the addition of our Garlic Aromatic Oil? To prepare it simply put ice, 180 ml tomato juice, 90 ml cold vodka and 30 ml lemon juice in a shaker.

We add a couple of drops of aromatic garlic oil, along with two drops of Worcester sauce and two drops of Tabasco sauce. We shake and pour into the glass, then add a few grains of salt and the typical Bloody Mary ingredient, a tuft of celery. We can also add two shrimps cooked in a pan for a few minutes and two pickles. Et voila, our cocktail with vodka and evo oil is served!

What are you waiting for to dive into the world of mixology and prepare some olive oil cocktails to enjoy with friends? Our extra virgin olive oil Frantoio Muraglia is waiting for you to add its flavour and fragrance to your drinks!

L'articolo Cocktails with evo oil: the idea for making innovative drinks proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

here’s how to revisit them with taste… and with extra virgin olive oil!

Just say orecchiette with turnip tops and your mind immediately goes to the traditional Apulian pasta with its characteristic shape, enriched by this equally typical leafy vegetable. A classic dish, known in the Bari area as far back as the Middle Ages, between the 12th and 13th centuries! We are therefore talking about a pasta dish that has literally made history and has come down to us with all its flavour.

We at Frantoio Muraglia have decided to revisit the recipe for orecchiette pasta with turnip tops with extra virgin olive oil: all the flavour of our evo oil, to prepare many different variants of this classic of the table!

Turnip tops: here are the things you need to know

Before we start talking about recipes, however, you need to get to know the vegetable that will accompany your orecchiette. For example, do you know the difference between turnip tops and friarielli?

Friarielli also known as broccoletti are the flowers of the turnip top: that is, those commonly found in the market with their florets, ready to be cooked. Turnip greens are precisely the leafy plants from which friarielli grow. Of turnip greens, therefore, one consumes the florets and the smaller, more tender leaves, with their thin stalks which should be detached from the harder stem and washed under plenty of running water.

Another important thing to know: what do turnip greens taste like? Tasty and pleasant, with a bitter aftertaste, which makes them suitable either as an accompaniment to pasta or as a side dish for a meat course. This bitter taste increases as the flowers turn yellow. It is therefore essential to choose turnip greens at the right time, when the inflorescences are still green. Turnip tops are also rich in vitamin C, folic acid, iron and antioxidants: the perfect vegetable for tasty yet healthy dishes!

How to make orecchiette pasta with turnip tops?

It takes very little to cook orecchiette with turnip tops with evo oil. First, think about the pasta. If you want to prepare it by hand, you will only need three ingredients: remilled durum wheat semolina, salt and lukewarm water.

Make a well with the flour, add salt and mix; gradually add lukewarm water and knead until the dough is smooth. Let it rest for 15 minutes at room temperature, covered with a cloth. Then take a piece of dough, create a strand and cut it into small pieces of about one centimetre which you will shape into your orecchiette.

Now deal with the vegetables. After you have cleaned your turnip tops and washed them under water, put them in a pot of salted water and let them boil for about ten minutes: at this point you can add the orecchiette pasta and finish cooking (about five minutes will be enough). The water in which you boiled the turnip tops will in fact be perfect for enriching the flavour of the pasta as well.

How to season orecchiette pasta with turnip tops?

The time has come to season your orecchiette pasta with homemade turnip greens!Drain the pasta and turnip tops and put them for a few minutes in a frying pan with garlic and evo oil (if you like, you can also add some anchovy fillets), season with a little grated pecorino or parmesan cheese and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

If you love strong flavours, the Coratina olive is perfect: it gives our Intense Fruity Oil all its fragrances, such as notes of thistle and artichoke leaves. This fruity oil is ideal for being enveloped in slightly spicy tones and goes perfectly with the flavour of turnip greens.

Those not used to over-structured oils may choose to dress orecchiette pasta with turnip greens with our Pitted oil. The result is an oil that does not distort the flavours of the ingredients it is combined with and brings the taste of Coratina to the table, but with a more delicate nuance.

And for those who want a balanced taste? Our Medium Fruity oil is the ideal choice: elegant and discreet, it adds its scents of radish, tomato and rocket to every dish. A drizzle of this extra virgin is enough to delicately enhance the taste of your homemade orecchiette. Even a drizzle of Aromatic Lemon Oil will add freshness to this traditional dish, enhancing its flavour.

How to season homemade orecchiette in an original way

Those who love exotic flavours, on the other hand, can satisfy their ethnic craving by adding our Ginger Aromatic Ginger Oil to orecchiette pasta with turnip greens: all the flavour of tradition combined with a fresh, spicy aftertaste.

Speaking of spicy we can’t forget our Chilli Pepper Aromatic Oil and our Garlic and Chilli Pepper Aromatic Oil: dressing orecchiette pasta with turnip greens with a chilli pepper extra virgin oil will give this dish a strong flavour, much appreciated by those who love spicy food.

Of course, there are plenty of ideas for dressing orecchiette pasta with turnip greens with olive oil: with bacon, sausage, cherry tomatoes, anchovies, cheese… this traditional dish is also loved for its versatility. So, let your imagination run wild: with the quality of Frantoio Muraglia’s signature oils, creating a masterpiece in the kitchen is easy!

L'articolo Orecchiette with urnip tops with extra virgin oil: how to prepare them proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

Summer, barbecue time! The grill is ready, the charcoal too: but how to marinate grilled meat? Marinating, in fact, is an essential step to ensure that meat is cooked to perfection and gives it an extra flavour worthy of a gourmet meal.

An ordinary barbecue can become extraordinary: just follow a few tricks.

The first of which obviously concerns marinating.

Let’s find out together how to season the meat before grilling it and which oil to use to enrich the flavour when serving!

Marinating meat on the grill: the rules for doing it

properly Barbecuing is serious business: not for nothing, there are plenty of courses dedicated to this very activity.

However, to become a true wizard of the grill it is not enough to know your way around charcoal and cooking times: you also have to know the raw material, i.e. meat, and how best to marinate it. This step, in fact, allows a tender meat, rich in aromas and flavours to be brought to the table.

But how do you prepare a proper marinade? For this emulsion, you need to add an acidic ingredient (such as lemon, vinegar or wine), an aromatic one (herbs such as parsley, rosemary, thyme etc.) and an oily ingredient, such as our extra virgin olive oil!

However, it should not be forgotten that each meat needs a special marinade to enhance its characteristics. Game because of its very strong taste, will need an equally strong marinade, which mutes its intensity. Conversely, for white meats with a delicate taste, such as chicken, a lighter marinade, which subtleties the flavour without covering it, will suffice.

But how long should meat be marinated? The amount of time required for marinating deserves a separate discussion which naturally varies depending on the type of meat: beef should marinate for a maximum of two hours, so as not to become stringy; for game a longer marinating time will be required due to the intense flavour. For chicken meat which is particularly delicate, one or two hours will suffice. In the case of pork a long marinade will also serve to soften the meat.

How to marinate meat for a perfect barbecue?

We then proceed with the preparation of our ad hoc marinade depending on the type of meat, also choosing the right oil: Frantoio Muraglia’s extra virgin olive oils are perfect for enriching any barbecue with the most suitable flavour.

Lamb, rabbit or venison meats with a very strong taste will need an equally strong oil such as our Intensely Fruity: its notes of dill, hay, fennel, pepper and artichoke, in fact, give life to a powerful oil with great personality, perfect for enriching even game with flavour. The same also applies to another evergreen of grilling, namely the beef steak.

Pork ribs are also a barbecue classic: how about seasoning them with a Medium Fruity oil, capable of enriching them with hints of tomato, rocket and radish?

Staying on the subject of marinating meat and grilling, let’s not forget our range of aromatic oils: fromBasil Oil to Lemon Oil, from Ginger Aromatic Oil to Chilli Oil, Frantoio Muraglia’s aromatic line is perfect for those who love experimenting and flavour contamination. These oils are made by pressing olives together with other delicacies such as Basilico Genovese DOP, Peperoncino Calabrese or Limone IGP di Rocca Imperiale. Marinating with aromatic oils is a certainty for both grilled fish and meat!

Extra virgin olive oil is a valuable ally for marinating meat before a barbecue or simply to add an extra touch of flavour when serving it. All you have to do is choose the right fragrance to bring to the table a grilled meat that is different from the usual and full of aromas and flavours! Is the meat marinated and the grill ready? All you have to do is wait for your guests and enjoy grilling with friends!

L'articolo Marinating grilled meat with olive oil: this is how to do it proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

Fresh and light recipes? They are ideal if you want to prepare a summer dinner with friends.

Seasonal Fruits and vegetables are excellent allies, as is extra virgin olive oil: a healthy seasoning that is perfect for adding flavour and personality even to cold dishes.

How to organise a summer dinner with extra virgin olive oil in just a few moves?

What to eat for a summer dinner?

The first question that arises when you decide to invite someone to dinner is ‘What shall I prepare?‘

If it is summer, then fresh food is almost a must on the menu. . To make a point: no braised meat with polenta or baked lasagne in the middle of July. Better, instead, something light, that will make you leave the table satisfied, but not weighed down: your guests will thank you!

There are many suggestions for a tasty summer dinner with friends: from grilled fish to pasta or rice salads, from the evergreen caprese with tomatoes and mozzarella to white meats. But summer velvety soups, to be served cold, are also a good idea. To make each recipe extraordinary, however, there is only one secret: use Frantoio Muraglia’s signature extra virgin olive oil. An excellence of flavour and fragrance, suitable for enriching every dish with unique and unmistakable aromatic notes and perfect for adding colour to your table!

Our design jars take up the colours of the rainbow giving a summer table all the suggestions of the sea: from lobsters to octopus, from prickly pears to sardines. Not forgetting our classic ‘Rainbow‘ collection or the ‘Universal Love‘ jar, signed by Adry De Martino.

What shall I prepare for a dinner with friends?

Let’s get to the heart of the matter and find out together what to make for dinner with friends using olive oil. How about starting with some fresh starters? The tomato, mozzarella and evo oil trio is always a classic: revisit it with our Aromatic Basil Oil to add all the fragrance of Basilico Genovese DOP and Ligurian suggestions.

You can also present this dish in a different way, opting for cherry tomatoes and cutting them open (without cutting them all the way through: the cherry tomato should open, but remain whole). Do the same with mozzarella and thread them onto a skewer, alternating them: the result will be a very pretty (and fresh) colourful flower to enjoy with friends.

Continue by also preparing some sauces with extra virgin olive oil, such as mayonnaise, mustard or bagnet verd: you can use them to dip croutons or raw vegetables (celery and carrots) while chatting or spread them on bread. Ideal, in short, for a cold summer dinner with friends.

What to eat fresh and fast in summer?

Let’s move on to the main course of your summer dinner with friends prepared using olive oil: the main course! Summer tempts us with fresh and quick recipes, including pasta, quinoa or spelt salads: you can make them unique simply by adding a balanced and delicate Medium Fruity oil or a drizzle of Pitted oil. The latter brings all the flavour of Coratina olive to the table in a more delicate way, thanks to the separation of the stone from the olive pulp before pressing.

If you want to ride the rice salad wave in an innovative way you can opt for a fresh poke bowl and let each guest create their own by arranging small bowls with the various ingredients: avocado, cherry tomatoes, tuna, chicken, dried fruit, mango… But don’t forget to top it all off with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil: we recommend Fumoour beechwood-smoked oil which gives a truly unique touch to a poke bowl

Do you have little time for your summer dinner but still want to make a good impression? Don’t worry: even a simple cold pasta can be perfect, if enriched with a homemade pesto made with extra virgin olive oil. And with our range of oils, each pesto can offer a variety of unique flavours: from Lemon Aromatic Oil to Basil Aromatic Oil, from the more explosive Chilli Aromatic Oil to Organic Oil.

What to eat for a cold dinner?

If you want to opt for a second course instead you can prepare a nice homemade piadina with evo oil! Healthier than the one with lard it is a nice idea, easy to put on the table and to stuff with seasonal ingredients.

Summer soups and velvety soups are also great ideas for a cold summer dinner with friends: vegetable velvety soups and cold creams are enriched with fragrance if they are complemented with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve them cold accompanied by some croutons et voila, dinner is served!

Alternatively, you can always opt for a classic barbecue of meat or grilled fish: here, too, the rose of our oils is ready to lend you a hand in turning every dish into a masterpiece. Fear not, then, if you are wondering what to cook for a summer dinner with friends: with Frantoio Muraglia extra virgin olive oil, excellence arrives directly on your table!

L'articolo Summer dinner with friends: how to prepare it with evo oil proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.

Today we talk about traditional recipes for recovering leftovers and avoiding waste. A particularly popular topic, and not only in the periods following the holidays

Environmental sustainability has become a hot topic in recent years. Respect for the environment also means not wasting food, both in order not to unnecessarily consume the energy used to produce food and to avoid increasing waste. Waste that has to be disposed of, treated, transported, creating pollution and further dispersion of energy.

However, combating waste is by no means a new habit: many traditional Italian recipes derive precisely from the need not to throw away even the crumbs, and therefore to cook with leftovers.

Let’s look at some traditional Italian recipes made with leftovers and accompanied by our extra virgin olive oil from Frantoio Muraglia.

Leftover pasta in the fridge? Make pasta frittata

If pasta is a fundamental food in our culture, it is to Naples that we owe the recipe for frittata di pasta. It was created precisely to avoid wasting leftover pasta from the day before and is also a quick and easy recipe to prepare, with endless variations.

Meanwhile, let’s look at the basic recipe.

Usually spaghetti is used which can also be the day before but must be cooked strictly al dente.

In a large container, beat 4 eggs, 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt. You can also add chopped Neapolitan salami and scamorza cheese.

Now pour the lukewarm or cold spaghetti over the eggs and other ingredients.

You can add butter or milk to soften the mixture. T

ake a large, high-sided frying pan. Pour in the Frantoio Muraglia extra virgin olive oil and let it warm up well. Pour the egg, spaghetti and cheese mixture into the pan, level it and then when it has made a bit of a crust underneath and is firm enough turn the frittata over to brown on both sides.

You can also make the baked pasta frittata by greasing a pan with extra virgin olive oil.

Tuscan ribollita: the dish that warms and nourishes

From Tuscany comes another traditional dish that saves leftovers and waste: ribollita.

Cabbage, carrots, chard are stewed for a long time. T hen the beans are added with the cooking water. After a couple of hours, stale bread can be added.

The advice is to make a layer of bread, add soup and then continue alternating soup and bread layers until filled. After letting our ribollita rest for an hour, you can put it back in the oven.

With such an intense dish, it is ideal to use our Fumo, smoked extra virgin olive oil.

Country cake: don’t throw bread away, sweeten it!

Bread can never be missing from our tables. Today we have the most varied types, not only white, but also wholemeal, cereal, ancient grain, kamut, rye.

An essential companion of our meals, it often ends up leftover and thrown away.

But did you know that with dry bread you can also make cakes? There is a traditional leftover recipe from Brianza called torta paesana.

Stale bread (almost half a kilo!), milk, macaroons, pine nuts, sultanas, chocolate, liqueur, sugar: mix everything together, put in a buttered or oiled mould, and off you go, into the oven at 180° for about 45 minutes.

La Cucina Italiana suggests in its version of the recipe to accompany the torta paesana with ice cream

Apulian meatballs: fried, with sauce, as an aperitif

Talking about cooking, we could not forget Puglia. A traditional Apulian recipe that saves leftover bread from being wasted is the famous bread balls.

Simply soak the leftover dry bread in milk for 15 minutes. When it is soaked in milk and well softened, squeeze it, add chopped parsley, grated pecorino cheese, salt and pepper, and eggs.

Mix the soaked bread with the other ingredients and form little meatballs.

They are then cooked by dipping them in plenty of hot Muraglia extra virgin olive oil and frying them. Once golden brown the excess oil can be removed by placing them on kitchen paper.

You can then cook them a little longer in the sauce and fresh basil, or stick them on a toothpick and serve them as an aperitif.

There are many more traditional recipes made with leftovers than those suggested in this article: for example worth mentioning are agnolotti del plin, typical of Piedmont, perfect for recovering meat leftovers; cappon magro, a fish and vegetable dish from Liguria, created to recover leftovers on fishermen’s ships; and pancotto and canederli, which again recover bread.

There are many anti-waste recipes and some are rooted in our past. Perhaps this is also why, according to the Waste Watcher / Zero Waste International Observatory, we manage with third place in the ranking among the countries that waste the least food, as described in this article.

At the top of the list of the most wasteful countries is the United States, if you were wondering.

Cooking with leftovers can make us even more virtuous in the fight against waste.

Cooking with leftovers can make us even more virtuous in the fight against waste.

This does not mean sacrificing taste and quality: just use healthy, carefully produced, environmentally friendly ingredients.

Our extra virgin olive oil is among them.

L'articolo Traditional recipes made with leftovers… and olive oil proviene da Frantoio Muraglia.