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. 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

1. Olives - make sure they have pits, it makes a big difference after they are baked.
2. 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.
3. Garlic - don't peel it. After it is baked you'll be able to squeeze the meat out.
4. 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.
5. Make it in advance - you can make it a day or two before. Simply reheat it in a medium oven before serving it.
6. 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.

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Originally by Marlena de Blasi , via The Best American Recipes 2000, by F. McCullough and S. Hamlin