Ingredients
Units
- 6 large garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds black, green or purple olives, or a combination
- 1/2 cup dry marsala
- 1/2 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
- Organization:Â read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Olives: make sure they have pits; it makes a big difference after they are baked as they hold up better.
- Marsala: I like the marsala to become syrupy, not watery, so I add it at the beginning. You can also add it after 10-15 minutes but it will not be as thick. The better the marsala the better the dish, not only for the flavor but for the consistency of the sauce; 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 up the juices and eat the garlic. Crackers can be used, but crusty bread, such as baguettes, is the best.
- Make it ahead: you can make it a day or two before you serve it. Keep it refrigerated, well covered. 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 different, fresh touch and gives the dish a sophisticated air.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: International
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8
- Calories: 176
- Sugar: 0.6 g
- Sodium: 772.1 mg
- Fat: 16.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 2.9 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg