Marinated Olives with Mozzarella and Prosciutto
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic clothes, smashed
- 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme, roughly chopped
- 2 heaping cups pitted olives, I like using a combinations of colors and sizes
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 orange and 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 4-6 ounces mozzarella, preferably the small balls called perlini
- Approximately 3 oz prosciutto, optional
- Fresh rosemary springs for topping
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pour the olive oil into a medium size pot over medium heat.
- Stir in the smashed garlic and let it cook in the olive oil for a minute or two being careful to not let it brown.
- Stir in the fresh herbs, the olives, and red pepper flakes.
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel large pieces of the orange and lemon zest and add them to the pot.
- Stir everything together and turn the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the large pieces of garlic before serving.
- Serve this in a large bowl topped with the mozzarella and prosciutto, or make these into individual portions by scooping out the olives into small bowls and topping it with mozzarella and prosciutto.
- Add fresh springs of rosemary as desired.
Notes
Don’t overheat the olive oil, it can ruin the taste. A gentle simmer is fine.
Makes sure to give the olives time to marry with the ingredients. I even like to make this ahead of time and then reheat when ready to serve.
Fresh herbs are the best for this. They add a brightness the you can’t get from the dried.
I like using a mix of olives for this. Each color and size offer a different element of flavor and texture.