Olives, Pate, and Gastronomic Sauces
The Harvest
Throughout 2020, it has been possible to harvest, select, and place in brine 4 tons of table olives. The construction of our new laboratory, equipped with machinery imported from Italy (Franco Maglio company, Borgomaro - Imperia) for the production of table olives, will allow us to provide our customers with the highest standards of quality and food safety.
The introduction of the Coratina variety, typical of southern Italy, in addition to Taggiasca and Leccino will allow us to continue enchanting and pleasing the most different palates.
Olive treatments
The olives, Taggiasca and Leccino, are harvested by hand, without the use of rakes or floor meshes, and are then selected based on the size and health of the drupe.
The oleuropein removal and conservation is carried out directly in our laboratory, according to the traditional recipe of our region, and without the use of soda to speed up the process.
The olives are then kept in brine for 5-6 months. The liquid, replaced several times, consists solely of water and salt. A weekly control of pH and salt concentration is carried out, so that it is kept consistently at <4.3pH and 10% respectively.
The Olives
Once ready, the olives are packaged in glass jars, as per the gastronimic tradition of Liguria, our region in Italy:
i) in light brine, with water, salt, and natural flavours; or
ii) in extra virgin olive oil, with aromatic herbs.
Olive paté
The olives in brine, at the end of the process, are pitted, and the pulp is processed with aromatic herbs and the addition of EVOO for its conservation. A lighter cream is obtained with Taggiasca olives, and more savoury one with Leccino.
It should be noted that the production of Taggiasca olives (in brine, in EVOO or in pâté) is one of the specialities of the gastronomic and olive culture of the Liguria Region, in north-western Italy, and one of the most popular kitchen products appreciated around the world.
Tocco di Rosso
An exclusive all Mediterranean recipe: a unique sauce that combines, with great balance, the most intense flavour of the pate with the sweetness of dried tomatoes, almonds and walnuts, the perfume of basil and with a final aroma of capers.
Ideal for spreading on bread, for a delicious snack with our olives, or as a pasta sauce.
ENTROTERRA
Our most recent addition from the tradition of Ligurian countryside: Entroterra (inland). Entroterra is a gastronomic cream prepared with ingredients from the "caponata sicilaiana": olives, almonds, cashew nuts, eggplant, carrots, and capers. It's another opportunity to experience the seasonings and the health benefits of the greatest mediterranean cuisine.
'Regional Passions'
In 2023 we created a new line of traditionally Italian products: 'Traditional Passions'. They take you on a trip of flavours, aromas, and ancient recipes from nothern Italy.
Fully taking advantage of the excellent and varied Italian gastronimic tradition, we sought tradional recipes to offer to our customers. These employ local raw material and ingredients of the highest quality.
The nutritional and health benefits of the Mediterranean diet are world renown. While carried forward by European immigrants, the Mediterranean diet traits were slowly lost in the region, in favour of a diet richer in meats and other import ingredients.
With our 'Regional Passions' line of products, we celebrate Italian culinary tradition with fewer selected ingredients: polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamins, essential fatty acids, Omega 3 and Omega 6.
Pesto siciliano
Tradiaitonal Sicilian recipe, with chard, almonds, Garlic, and our extra virgin olive oil.
Works great as a pasta sauce in combination with Parmesan cheese, or even better, with Pecorino cheese.
Great condiment for meats, fish, or simply as a bread dip.
Ingredients: chard, almonds, nuts, garlic, ajì, Pique Roto extra virgin olive oil
Pesto toscano
Tuscan traditional recipe, locally called 'Pesto di cavolo nero toscano'.
Kale is one of the most nutritionally rich vegetables in the world. It is a great source of antioxidants (vitamin C, beta keratin, flavonoids) capable of contrasting the effects of free radicals. It is rich in potassium, folic acids, mineral salts, and fatty acids omega 3 (150mg per 100g of kale). These improve digestion and can act as anti-inflammatories and cleansers, all the while having low calories. Together with the nutritional properties of nuts and olive oil, this superfood is ideal for vegans!
This sauce is perfect to use as a bread dip, on toasted breads, as a condiment for meats, or sauce for pastas.
Ingredients: kale, nuts, garlic, ajì, Pique Roto extra virgin olive oil
Ligurian eggplants
This is a typical Italian recipe originally meant to preserve vegetables throughout the whole year. Together with its twin, zucchinis, it's perfect to accompany meats and cheese. Must try: rustic bread sandwich with cheese and zucchini or eggplants in oil!
Healthy quick snack typical of the historic centre of Genova.
Ingredients: Eggplants, garlic, pepper/ajì, Pique Roto extra virgin olive oil
Dried Tomatoes
Dried tomatoes in EVOO with spies are a typical Italian accompaniment, from Northern to Southern Italy, with great regional varieties.
We offer a recipe with bay leaves, garlic, pepper/ajì, and Pique Roto extra virgin olive oil.
Zucchini a la ligure
Twin of the eggplants, this recipe was born from the necessity to preserve vegetables throughout the seasons.
It's a perfect accompaniment of meats and cheese. Must try: rustic bread sandwich with cheese and zucchini or eggplants in oil!
Healthy quick snack typical of the historic centre of Genova.
Ingredients: Zucchini, garlic, pepper/ajì, Pique Roto extra virgin olive oil
Artichokes a la ligure
Artichokes can be preserved throughout the harvest seasons.
Here we offer a typical Italian recipe with bay leaves, garlic, pepper/ajì, Pique Roto extra virgin olive oil.
Asparagus cream
Two different aromas...
Taggiasca
The Taggiasca variety has the same cultural, geographic, and gastronomic origin as the Ligurian traditions that immigrants brought with them to Uruguay in the last century, such as fainá, tuco and pascualina, whose names, so familiar to Uruguayans, originally belonged to the Genova dialect.
In fact, in the last century immigrants had brought with them some Taggiasca plants, then called Genovesa, which are still found in the department of Fray Bentos.
Taggiasca olives are a product of excellence in the Liguria region and one of the most recognized in the world, not only for its oil product, but also as table olives.
This type of olive was first planted on the Italian Riviera Ligure by the Benedictine monks in 1100 AD, near the town of Taggia (from which they take the name, and where you can still visit the old monastery).
These elliptical shaped delicacies have a sweet flavor, which tastes slightly similar to hazelnut (almond and pine nut flavor). They have a very low acidity, resulting in superior quality. They are excellent as a snack, but the culinary tradition of Liguria offers us many recipes for using the Taggiasca olive. They marry well with meat (for example, rabbit stew or lamb with olives), pasta (in sauce to flavor) and also with fish (such as cod). In any way you wish to have them, Taggiasca olives are a unique complement to each dish and table.
Leccino
Among the other dual-purpose varieties present in the plantation, Leccino also stands out for being an excellent table olive, well known in Italy and around the world. The treatment process is the same as the one used for the Taggiasca variety. Leccino stands out for being a bigger, blacker and more savoury olive than Taggiasca.