Extra Virgin Olive Oil Desserts: A Peasant Heritage
Many choose extra virgin olive oil as a substitute for butter, whether due to food intolerances, dietary choices, or to create lighter versions of classic recipes, not to mention the many vegan versions of traditional desserts. However, to find a good olive oil biscuit, there’s no need to search specialized websites and magazines: simply look to the past, to old recipes where olive oil was the main ingredient. In the dry biscuits and small cakes typical of the peasant culture of central and southern Italy, extra virgin olive oil was never wasted. To use up the last drops, families improvised with alternative preparations.
Replacing Butter with Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Desserts
Olive oil is therefore not just a substitute, but a key ingredient, allowing for tasty, moist desserts that can be stored longer than those made with butter. Replacing butter with olive oil is possible by adjusting the quantities: for 100 grams of butter, you should use approximately 80 grams of extra virgin olive oil.
Traditional Biscuits from the Puglia and Basilicata Regions
In Puglia, as in Basilicata, there is a sweet version of the famous taralli: the Occhi di Santa Lucia. Traditionally prepared for Saint Lucy’s Day on December 13th, these biscuits are made with flour, dry white wine, extra virgin olive oil, and water. The quality of the wine and oil is essential for the success of this recipe. They do not contain sugar in the dough, only in the glaze that covers them. Their neutral taste makes them very versatile. They can be enjoyed at breakfast or after a meal, but they are particularly popular during the Christmas period, possibly dipped in sweet white wine.
Recipe for Occhi di Santa Lucia (For 18 biscuits)
Ingredients:
50 g extra virgin olive oil
50 g white wine
1 egg (approx. 55 g)
250 g wheat flour (type 00)
For the glaze:
150 g icing sugar
25 g water
Preparation:
Prepare the dough: pour the flour into a bowl, then add the oil, white wine, and egg. Mix first with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand until a homogeneous dough is obtained.
Transfer the dough to a cutting board and cover it with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
Take a portion of the dough and form a roll about 1.5 cm thick. Then cut into 10 cm long pieces.
Form rings by folding each piece back on itself, to obtain shapes similar to taralli.
Arrange the rings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes.
Once baked, let the biscuits cool.
Prepare the glaze by mixing the icing sugar with water until smooth.
Dip only the top part of the taralli in the glaze, then turn them over and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper.
Repeat for all biscuits and let the glaze dry completely before serving.
Curiosity
In some Apulian dialect varieties, the term “giuleppe” refers to a drink or syrup made from water, sugar, and cooked fruit. By extension, this term is used to describe anything very sweet. The traditional glaze for Occhi di Santa Lucia is also called “giuleppe”.
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