Just a small amount of saffron can imbue extra-virgin olive oil with the spice’s captivating perfume and distinctive flavor. This versatile condiment is a great way to bring a light and seductive touch of saffron to your dishes, without overwhelming them. It makes a delicious (and colorful) dressing for maccheroni alla chitarra (page 236) or other pasta, or to season almost any mild-flavored dish.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 2/3 cup, enough for a pound of Maccheroni alla Chitarra or other pasta
Ingredients
TO DRESS THE PASTA
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
Preparation
Step 1
Put the toasted saffron threads into the mortar or spice grinder, and pulverize to a powder.
Step 2
Pour the olive oil and the salt into a small mixing bowl. Add the crushed saffron. Rinse the mortar with a tablespoon of hot water, collecting any remaining bits of ground saffron, and pour that into the saffron oil. Whisk to mix thoroughly.
Step 3
If you are not using the saffron oil right away, transfer the oil to a small container and let it infuse at room temperature for at least 1/2 hour. Shortly before using, whisk chopped parsley into the oil. (To store the oil—preferably before adding parsley—cover the container and refrigerate for up to a week.)
Step 4
To dress maccheroni alla chitarra (or other pasta) with the saffron oil: Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain the cooked maccheroni, and drop the strands into a big warm bowl, drizzle the oil all over the top, and toss well (and quickly) to coat all the strands of pasta with golden oil. Sprinkle over it a cup or so of grated cheese, and toss again. Serve immediately in warm bowls, with more cheese at the table.
Olio Santo, a Heavenly Spicy Olive Oil Condiment
Step 5
One reason I feel such an affinity for the cooking of Abruzzo is the generous use of peperoncino—hot red chili pepper, fresh or dried. Lavish spiciness is typical of southern Italian cuisines, and although I am from the north, I love it, and it makes me feel right at home.
Step 6
The Abruzzesi refer to their favorite red chilis as diavolicchio, diavolillo, or diavolino—all of which mean “little devil”—and when you taste them you’ll know why. Often, these devilish peperoncini are steeped in olive oil, creating a spicy-hot condiment called olio santo or “holy oil.” If you love heat, a drizzle of this oil makes a good dish more heavenly.
Step 7
Olio santo is an indispensable condiment in Abruzzo, set on the table so that everyone can regulate the level of heat in a dish to his or her own taste. Whether it’s a soup, a pasta, or a main dish, if you want more heat, all you need to do is sprinkle over it a teaspoon of holy oil, give it a stir, and get immediate results.
Step 8
To make your own olio santo, pour a cup of good extra-virgin olive oil into a glass jar, and drop in a teaspoon of kosher salt and 2 tablespoons of small whole dried peperoncini, about ten little peppers (see Sources, page 387). Cover tightly, and let the oil infuse at room temperature for at least 2 days. Give it a good shake, and use. Store in the sealed jar, in a cool place, for a month or more.
Step 9
(If you are a peperoncino-lover, too, be sure to try the heavenly pasta from Basilicata, Fiery Maccheroni [page 311]. Its peperoncino-paste dressing is also a hot all-purpose condiment.)
