Olive Oil Bread Dip

[SeaCat]

Now I know at least some people here make their own. What do you use?

I have been making mine using Olive Oil, Minced Garlic, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt, Pepper and Oregeno. It tasts good but it seems to be missing something.

Oh and for those who don't know what I'm talking about. You mix these ingredients then either pour it into a small bowl and dip thin slices of French Bread in it, or you pour it over the Bread. Some good stuff.

Cat

 

[xssve]

I use all kinds of different stuff, whatever's handy, sometimes, nothing - though I usually like at least a sprinkle of salt.

 

[MagicaPractica]

For dipping, I tend to buy a rosemary or garlic loaf of artisan bread so I just use good quality olive oil and some parmesan cheese sometimes. I have bought a nice garlic infused olive oil once.

 

[Saucy_Sage]

Lemon.

I am serious . . .

 

[jomar]

Try some freshly grated Parmesan cheese added to the mix. Magica mention it, I see.

Might be all you really need is a quality olive oil and Parmesan.

 

[MagicaPractica]

I have found that the type of olive oil makes a huge difference but I was thinking, perhaps it's the bread that's lacking? I tend to find French bread a little lacking in substance. I prefer some kind of sourdough or at least Italian bread.

 

[Miss_Pixie]

Homeade Italian bread, is pretty good with plain olive oil.

 

[MagicaPractica]

Try some freshly grated Parmesan cheese added to the mix. Magica mention it, I see.

Might be all you really need is a quality olive oil and Parmesan.

Jo, that's exactly how they served it in one restaurant I went to. The quality of the olive oil was amazing.

 

[R. Richard]

Now I know at least some people here make their own. What do you use?

I have been making mine using Olive Oil, Minced Garlic, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt, Pepper and Oregeno. It tasts good but it seems to be missing something.

Oh and for those who don't know what I'm talking about. You mix these ingredients then either pour it into a small bowl and dip thin slices of French Bread in it, or you pour it over the Bread. Some good stuff.

Cat

Too complicated. Try just Hillstone extra virgin olive oil, for a real treat. Or, of the very best, try Colle Nobile (It's the best and you can tell when the clerk asks for the money.)

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Additives are for people coming to restaurants. At home Italians just dip the bread in the oil--or the soup!

 

[3113]

Greek and/or Tuscan Olive Oil

I have been making mine using Olive Oil, Minced Garlic, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt, Pepper and Oregeno. It tasts good but it seems to be missing something.

For that combo, I'd add fresh, chopped rosemary and/or thyme. Try it with one, then the other--play around with amounts and see what works for you as rosemary is potent and you have to take care how much you add so that it doesn't overwhelm the other herbs.

And what others have said about the oil is absolutely spot on: the type of olive oil definitely matters. For the combo you're using, I'd go Greek, virgin or extra. Greek has that very full-bodied, kalamata olive flavor. Really wonderful. And that, actually, may be what you're missing. The right type of oil.

Saucy's excellent suggestion of just lemon, nothing else, is well worth trying by the way. For that, search around and go for Tuscan olive oil--hard to find, but well worth it. "From Italy" won't be good enough. It has to be "From Tuscany." That golden Tuscan olive oil with just a squeeze of lemon on top is the best for dipping in veggies or bread. There's a real magic to that simple combination. But, once again, it relies on the olive oil being very good. Do not go for the cheap stuff when it comes to dipping.

P.S. The balsamic you're using also matters. You can go expensive, of course, but here's a little trick. Get a big bottle of the cheap stuff and boil down a cup of it for about 5-10 minutes. Let cool (beware getting too close to it while it boils--you don't want to inhale vinegar). Pour into a bottle and keep on hand or refrigerate. It'll be thicker and richer in flavor. More like a syrup.

 

[slyc_willie]

Sage. You're missing sage.

That particular herb is a staple in my kitchen. Great with chicken (especially if you're making saltimboca) but I use it on practically everything. For a good EVO mix, I use the following:

4 oz. EVO
1 roasted garlic clove, mashed
coarse ground black pepper (six to eight turns)
4 dashes Tabasco
1 pinch roasted red pepper flakes
2 pinches sage

 

[3113]

1 roasted garlic clove, mashed

Ah, now there's a nice idea! Roasting the garlic. Yum.

 

[driphoney]

Additives are for people coming to restaurants. At home Italians just dip the bread in the oil--or the soup!

But then (don't kill me) I managed to eat some really bad food in Italy. I know, unthinkable, right? Many bad meals.

All this food talk is reminding me it's lunchtime!

 

[rosco rathbone]

Now I know at least some people here make their own. What do you use?

I have been making mine using Olive Oil, Minced Garlic, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt, Pepper and Oregeno. It tasts good but it seems to be missing something.

Oh and for those who don't know what I'm talking about. You mix these ingredients then either pour it into a small bowl and dip thin slices of French Bread in it, or you pour it over the Bread. Some good stuff.

Cat

That's salad dressing!

 

[driphoney]

For that combo, I'd add fresh, chopped rosemary and/or thyme. Try it with one, then the other--play around with amounts and see what works for you as rosemary is potent and you have to take care how much you add so that it doesn't overwhelm the other herbs.

And what others have said about the oil is absolutely spot on: the type of olive oil definitely matters. For the combo you're using, I'd go Greek, virgin or extra. Greek has that very full-bodied, kalamata olive flavor. Really wonderful. And that, actually, may be what you're missing. The right type of oil.

Saucy's excellent suggestion of just lemon, nothing else, is well worth trying by the way. For that, search around and go for Tuscan olive oil--hard to find, but well worth it. "From Italy" won't be good enough. It has to be "From Tuscany." That golden Tuscan olive oil with just a squeeze of lemon on top is the best for dipping in veggies or bread. There's a real magic to that simple combination. But, once again, it relies on the olive oil being very good. Do not go for the cheap stuff when it comes to dipping.

P.S. The balsamic you're using also matters. You can go expensive, of course, but here's a little trick. Get a big bottle of the cheap stuff and boil down a cup of it for about 5-10 minutes. Let cool (beware getting too close to it while it boils--you don't want to inhale vinegar). Pour into a bottle and keep on hand or refrigerate. It'll be thicker and richer in flavor. More like a syrup.

I'm going to look for Greek olive oil next time. Thanks. And I've really grown to appreciate romemary - fresh in particular. I planted two small bushes and really hope they take off. It really goes well with a lot of things I cook: eggs, chicken, tomato based sauces. The more i use it . . . the more I use it!

 

[driphoney]

That's salad dressing!

Maybe, but it's really good for dipping bread too!

 

[glynndah]

My mother-in-law learned to cook in Tuscany. We usually just use good olive oil {the greener, the better} and artisan bread ~ sourdough or whole grain.

 

[driphoney]

My mother-in-law learned to cook in Tuscany. We usually just use good olive oil {the greener, the better} and artisan bread ~ sourdough or whole grain.

I love Italian food, and I don't mean that over-sauced American version, either. (Well, I like that too, but it's different.) I must have just had really, really bad restaurant luck during my short time there.

I hope so!

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I love Italian food, and I don't mean that over-sauced American version, either. (Well, I like that too, but it's different.) I must have just had really, really bad restaurant luck during my short time there.

I hope so!

Must have been because no matter where I went, Naples, Rome, Matera or wherever, it put my sainted grandmama to shame and she was no shabby cook! Heck, we got first class meals just wandering around in the farmers' markets noshing on whatever came in reach . . .

 

[Emperor_Nero]

I think I'd have to agree with several other posters, that the big key is just a really quality olive oil to start with. But that's true of the whole process, as the best olive oil in the world is going to lose something mixed with old dried herbs and that parmesean cheese out of a plastic jar. You want the best, you need to use the best.

My personal preference is quality olive oil, freshly grated parmasean reggiano and fresh cracked black pepper. Then dip something nice and crusty like a fresh cibiatta.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I think I'd have to agree with several other posters, that the big key is just a really quality olive oil to start with. But that's true of the whole process, as the best olive oil in the world is going to lose something mixed with old dried herbs and that parmesean cheese out of a plastic jar. You want the best, you need to use the best.

My personal preference is quality olive oil, freshly grated parmasean reggiano and fresh cracked black pepper. Then dip something nice and crusty like a fresh cibiatta.

Fresh, warm cibiatta!

 

[Emperor_Nero]

Fresh, warm cibiatta!

Actually, warm would probably hold true for any bread, as that slight bit of heat releases alot of aromatics from the oil. Mmmmm

 

[fieryjen]

We have this Italian restaurant downtown which is just amazing. They serve bread the composition of which I have been trying to figure out ever since first trying it, with a great olive-oil based dip. All I know is that the dip has got basil and finely chopped red peppers in it.

 

[driphoney]

Oh my gosh I'm hungry reading all these posts! *insert drooling smilie here*

There's nothing in this house for supper either!