If there is one mezze you need on your table, it’s warm olives – no Greek feast is complete without them! Usually we make a double batch and bake half the quantity for guests and save the rest to snack on during the week when we forget to prepare dinner or come home from an event and need a pre-bedtime bite. The chilli can be omitted, but it adds a subtle heat that works perfectly with the citrus. –Helena Moursellas and Vicki Moursellas
Peináo: A Greek Feast for All is out on October 31.
Orange and Chili Marinated Olives
Helena and Vicki Moursellas' recipe for a classic, crowd-pleasing Greek snack: warm olives marinated in spicy citrus oil.
Ingredients
- 1 lb 7 oz (650 g) mixed olives
- 1 long red chilli finely sliced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 1 large orange zested into strips
- 1 large lemon zested into strips
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the ingredients in a baking dish and stir to combine. Transfer to the oven and roast, stirring halfway through cooking, for 20 minutes or until the olives are warm and fragrant.
- Serve warm.
