Extra Virgin Olive Oil

A general rule is to use the olive oil at the end of cooking, as a flavouring rather than to cook with.

Using Extra- Virgin Olive Oil:

George Locatelli has three extra virgin olive oils in his kitchen, these are Sicilian Oil, which he adores for it's artichoke notes, Tuscan, perhaps Italy's most famous extra-virgin oil and what perhaps Italy's most famous olive oil, full of herbs and pepper; and a northern oil, more delicate in character. You do need to match your olive oil with your food.

We all know that the olive oil makes a fantastic dressings for salads, but do consider it as a final seasoning for soups and stews, as well as roast and grilled meat. Giorgio uses lighter styles of oil for vegetables and fish dishes and strongly flavoured oils for bitter salad leaves and meats. It can lend flavour to your baking, transforming breads and grissini, even biscuits and cakes, Keep it even simpler and use alone as a dip for your crudites and bread.

In prospect of matching olive oils and foods seems a little daunting to you, then Giorgio Locatelli strongly recommends pairing region with region.

Filtered or Unfiltered

Extra Virgin Olive Oil can come in filtered or unfiltered form. Olive oil is filtered by being passed through layer of cotton to remove particles of olive fruit that may remain. The flavour is generally better in unfiltered oil, but producers take a risk by making oil in this form, as deposits can be unpleasant. Unfiltered oils looks cloudier and, thanks to gravity, if you store it upright any remaining deposits will sink to the bottom of the bottle. The label will tell you if the oil is filtered or unfiltered.