From master olive oil producer Pianogrillo come these classic Castelvetrano olives in brine. These Sicilian green olives, also known as Nocellara del Belice olives, tend to have a cult following, and it’s easy to see why. The skin breaks with a satisfying chewiness; since the pits are still inside, the olives retain their firm, dense texture. Their flavor is briny at first, but this gives way to their signature buttery, herbal tang, a muskiness verging on sweet. ...read more
Castelvetrano olives are the best olives for an aperitivo plate - where their vibrant green color shines alongside cheese or Mediterranean dips. But since they are preserved in just salt water, their crisp and tender flesh makes them the number one choice for homemade marinated olives. Enjoy them as a snack on their own, or give an olive twist to all kinds of dishes - Castelvetrano olives baked into a homemade focaccia, folded into a bright fennel salad, arranged on top of a simple marinara pizza, or dipped into a truly gourmet martini.
Grown and hand harvested in the Valle del Belice region, near the town of Castelvetrano, these are one of Italy’s most famous and prized olives. Each year, producer Lorenzo Piccione of Pianogrillo personally selects the best olives from his fellow farmers in the northwestern tip of Sicily. There, the warm days, cool nights, and breeze off the Mediterranean sea provide the perfect climate. After harvesting, the olives are transported to the Pianogrillo farm in Ragusa, where they are processed following Lorenzo's recipe and completing the entire production by hand.
