One of my favorite appetizers, it's super flavorful, easy to make and can be made in advance with simple ingredients you probably have in your house right now. It's really good and comes together in minutes. Really. I can't emphasize that enough.
It was raining last night and I had friends coming over for dinner.
So the meal consisted of a few things, one of which was this finger-licking roasted olive appetizer. I had to use my fresh mint and had little french breads; they were just dying to be torn up and slathered with soft garlic that had been roasted with olive oil and marsala.
Because not only are the olives amazing, the roasted garlic is a feast in itself.
Why this recipe works
- Fast and easy: this appetizer comes together in minutes (literally), you don't even have to peel the garlic.
- Flavor: it's such a crowd pleaser! I have made it for small and large gatherings and it never disappoints. If you don't have mint simply omit it, it's delicious anyway.
- Made in advance: it can be made one or two days before and kept, covered, in the fridge. Simply reheat it before serving it and add the mint, if using, at the last minute.
Type of olives
The difference between green and black olives is the ripening stage.
Green olives are picked and cured while still not fully ripen, and black olives are harvested after they reached their ripe stage.
I normally use both green and black olives for this recipe, the regular kind with pits you get at the supermarket or deli. There's a wide variety of olives in the world and depending on where you live you have access to more or less.
So go with the ones you like and always buy, but I recommend you don't use pitted olives, as they will not have the same effect as those with pits after baking. Trust me on this. You can read about the health benefits of olives here.
What is Marsala wine?
It's a sweet Italian wine, similar to Port, which can be dry or sweet. You can find more info and photos here.
Tips & tricks
- Olives - make sure they have pits, it makes a big difference after they are baked.
- Marsala - I like the marsala to become thick, not watery, so I put it from the beginning. You can also add it after 15 minutes. The better the marsala the better the dish, not only for the flavor but for the consistency of the syrup; pretty much like the difference between a good soy sauce and a watery one.
- Garlic - don't peel it. After it is baked you'll be able to squeeze the meat out.
- Bread - it's necessary to sop the juices and eat the garlic. Cracker just won't do it. Crusty bread such as baguette is the best.
- Make it in advance - you can make it a day or two before. Simply reheat it in a medium oven before serving it.
- Mint - it is added fresh at the end, just before serving. You can omit it, of course, but it adds a nice touch and it gives the dish kind of a sophisticated air.
Related recipes you might like:
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Marsala roasted Olives and Garlic
One of my favorite appetizers, it's super flavorful, easy to make and can be made in advance with simple ingredients you probably have in your house right now.
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 6 large garlic cloves
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ to 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ pounds black, green or purple olives, or a combination, no pits
- ½ cup dry marsala
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF/ 170ºC.
- Separate the garlic cloves, leaving their skins intact. Place the garlic in medium ceramic or terra-cotta casserole dish, add olives and olive oil. Toss to coat and sprinkle with black pepper. (You can add the salt now, I do it before serving).
- Roast for 20 minutes. Add the marsala, increase the oven temperature to 400ºF/200ºC and roast until it becomes thick and syrupy.
- Add chopped mint and serve with crusty, warm bread.
Notes
Olives - make sure they have pits, it makes a big difference after they are baked.
Marsala - I like the marsala to become thick, not watery, so I put it from the beginning. You can also add it after 15 minutes. The better the marsala the better the dish, not only for the flavor but for the consistency of the syrup; pretty much like the difference between a good soy sauce and a watery one.
Garlic - don't peel it. After it is baked you'll be able to squeeze the meat out.
Bread - it's necessary to sop the juices and eat the garlic. Cracker just won't do it. Crusty bread such as baguette is the best.
Make it in advance - you can make it a day or two before. Simply reheat it in a medium oven before serving it.
Mint - it is added fresh at the end, just before serving. You can omit it, of course, but it adds a nice touch and it gives the dish kind of a sophisticated air.
Salt - careful with the added salt as it becomes very concentrated.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: International
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅛
- Calories: 176
- Sugar: 0.6 g
- Sodium: 772.1 mg
- Fat: 16.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: marsala olives, baked olives
Originally by Marlena de Blasi , via The Best American Recipes 2000, by F. McCullough and S. Hamlin
Mary Hirsch says
Okay, I am making this. I'm in Aspen at my condo for a month and this definitely will work for nibbles and wine/cocktail hour with friends. My condo is small, if you remember, but I LOVE the smell of garlic. And, if I open the front door and the balcony door, the breeze wafts right through and will take the garlic with it hopefully.
wp_vknotes_admin says
I hope you enjoy it!
Kathy says
Paula, I’ve kind of been out of the loop this past week and missed this lovely appetizer…it looks fantastic! I bookmarked it to make very soon.
wp_vknotes_admin says
It´s really a crowd pleaser. Hope you make it!
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says
Paula, this looks exactly like the kind of recipe that I would have chosen, had I found it before larning about it in you blog. It looks so good - I would like to try it now!
mireia badia says
I always make olives at home, they're delicious!!!
Cathleen says
Oh yum. Olives are one of my favorite things to eat. This looks very good, I love it!
Viviane Bauquet Farre says
Marvelous tapa-style dish! I agree: cleaning out the fridge on a rainy day is rewarding, cleansing, and totally worth the time. Great job with these olives!
wp_vknotes_admin says
Thanks Viviane!
yummychunklet says
I love marsala chicken, so I bet these olives taste wonderful flavored with it.