🍽️ Kitchen Guide

Olive & Olive Oil
Recipes

From the traditional flavours of Turkish cuisine to Italian and Greek tables — discover the finest expressions of olive and olive oil.

Filter: 12 recipes
🇹🇷 Turkish Cuisine
🌸
🇹🇷 Turkish Main Course
Artichokes with Olive Oil

Turkey's spring celebration dish. Artichokes slow-cooked in olive oil with peas and carrots — wonderfully aromatic.

⏱ Prep: 20 min 🍳 Cook: 40 min 👥 Serves 4 Medium

  • 4fresh artichokes
  • 1 cupfresh or frozen peas
  • 2carrots (diced)
  • 1medium onion (thinly sliced)
  • ½ cupextra virgin olive oil
  • 1lemon (juice)
  • 1 tspsugar
  • 1 tspsalt
  • 1 cuphot water
  • A few sprigsfresh dill (to serve)

  1. Prepare the artichokes: remove outer leaves, tough parts and stems. Place in lemony water to prevent browning.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a wide saucepan; sauté the onions until softened and golden.
  3. Add the carrots and stir for 3–4 minutes.
  4. Nestle in the artichokes. Add the peas, lemon juice, sugar and salt.
  5. Pour over the hot water, cover and cook on a low heat for 35–40 minutes.
  6. When the liquid has reduced, remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Serve with dill.
Tip: Olive oil dishes taste far better served cold or at room temperature.
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🇹🇷 Turkish Bread
Savoury Olive Cake

A wonderful breakfast cake where salty olives and olive oil come together — the Turkish take on the Italian cake salato.

⏱ Prep: 15 min 🍳 Cook: 45 min 👥 Serves 8 slices Easy

  • 2 cupsflour
  • 3eggs
  • ½ cupextra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cupmilk
  • 1 packetbaking powder
  • 1 cupblack olives (roughly chopped)
  • 100 gwhite cheese / feta (crumbled)
  • ½ bunchflat-leaf parsley (finely chopped)
  • 1 tspsalt
  • ½ tspblack pepper

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease the loaf tin with olive oil.
  2. In a large bowl beat the eggs, then stir in the olive oil and milk.
  3. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper together; gently fold into the wet mixture.
  4. Fold in the olives, cheese and parsley.
  5. Pour into the tin and bake in the preheated oven for 40–45 minutes.
  6. Check with a skewer; when it comes out clean, remove and rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Tip: Pat the olives dry with kitchen paper; excess moisture can make the cake soggy.
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🇹🇷 Turkish Main Course
Green Beans in Olive Oil

Turkey's most classic olive oil dish. Green beans cooked with tomatoes and onions — an essential for warm days.

⏱ Prep: 20 min 🍳 Cook: 50 min 👥 Serves 4 Easy

  • 500 ggreen beans (trimmed)
  • 2medium onions (thinly sliced)
  • 3ripe tomatoes (grated)
  • ½ cupextra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tspsugar
  • 1 tspsalt
  • ½ tspblack pepper
  • 1 cuphot water

  1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan; sauté the onions until golden.
  2. Add the grated tomatoes and cook until the liquid evaporates.
  3. Add the green beans and continue to sauté for 5 minutes.
  4. Add the sugar, salt and pepper. Pour over the hot water and cover.
  5. Cook on a low heat for 40–45 minutes until the beans are tender.
  6. Cool to room temperature before serving. Perfect alongside rice or bread.
Tip: If you use ripe summer tomatoes, you may not need the sugar at all.
🫓
🇹🇷 Turkish Bread
Open Olive Flatbread

Black Sea-style open flatbread with black olives, cheese and thyme. The smell when it comes out of the oven is incredible.

⏱ Prep: 30 min 🍳 Cook: 20 min 👥 Serves 4 Medium

  • 3 cupsbread flour
  • 1 packetinstant dried yeast
  • 1 cuplukewarm water
  • 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tspsalt
  • 1 cupblack olives (sliced)
  • 150 gwhite cheese / feta
  • 1 tspdried thyme
  • 1 tspchilli flakes (optional)

  1. Mix the flour, salt and yeast. Add the lukewarm water and 2 tbsp olive oil; knead into a smooth dough.
  2. Cover and leave to prove for 45 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll out thinly.
  4. Scatter the cheese and olives over the top. Drizzle with olive oil, add the thyme and chilli.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 18–20 minutes until the base is crisp and golden.
  6. Serve hot.
Tip: Use a baking stone if you have one — the base will be much crispier.
🇬🇷 Greek Cuisine
🥗
🇬🇷 Greek Salad
Horiatiki (Village Salad)

Greece's national salad. Kalamata olives, fresh tomatoes, cucumber and generous feta — simple but perfect.

⏱ Prep: 10 min 🍳 Cook: None 👥 Serves 4 Easy

  • 4large ripe tomatoes (thickly sliced)
  • 1large cucumber (thickly sliced)
  • 1red onion (rings)
  • 1green pepper (rings)
  • 200 gKalamata olives (pitted)
  • 200 gfeta cheese (thick slab)
  • 5 tbspextra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbspred wine vinegar
  • 1 tspdried thyme
  • Salt, black pepperto taste

  1. Arrange the tomatoes, cucumber, onion and pepper on a large plate.
  2. Scatter the olives among the vegetables.
  3. Place the slab of feta on top in one piece — do not crumble it.
  4. Drizzle over the olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt, pepper and thyme.
  5. Serve immediately — do not toss. In the Greek tradition, the ingredients stay whole.
Tip: A true Greek salad never contains lettuce or dressing — just olive oil and vinegar.
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🇬🇷 Greek Starter
Olive Tapenade & Bruschetta

The Mediterranean's most beloved starter. Tapenade made from black olives, capers and anchovies meets toasted bread.

⏱ Prep: 10 min 🍳 Cook: 5 min 👥 Serves 6 Easy

  • 200 gKalamata or black olives (pitted)
  • 2 tbspcapers (drained)
  • 2anchovy fillets (optional)
  • 1 clovegarlic
  • 4 tbspextra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsplemon juice
  • ½ tspfresh or dried thyme
  • 1 loafbaguette (sliced)

  1. Place the olives, capers, anchovies and garlic in a food processor.
  2. Add the olive oil and lemon juice; blitz to a smooth but slightly textured paste.
  3. Fold in the thyme. Taste and season carefully — anchovies and capers are already salty.
  4. Toast the baguette slices on a griddle pan or in a toaster.
  5. Spread the tapenade on the toasts, finish with a drop of olive oil and serve.
Tip: Tapenade keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
🇮🇹 Italian Cuisine
🍝
🇮🇹 Italian Pasta
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Naples' bold pasta. Black olives, capers, anchovies and tomato sauce — ready in just 20 minutes.

⏱ Prep: 10 min 🍳 Cook: 20 min 👥 Serves 4 Easy

  • 400 gspaghetti
  • 400 gcrushed tomatoes (tinned)
  • 150 gblack olives (sliced)
  • 2 tbspcapers
  • 4anchovy fillets
  • 3 clovesgarlic (thinly sliced)
  • ½ tspchilli flakes (peperoncino)
  • 4 tbspextra virgin olive oil
  • Fresh parsleyto serve

  1. Cook the spaghetti in well-salted boiling water until al dente; reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan; add the garlic and anchovies and sauté until the anchovies dissolve.
  3. Add the chilli flakes, then after 30 seconds add the tomatoes.
  4. Add the olives and capers; simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes.
  5. Transfer the pasta directly into the sauce; add pasta water as needed to adjust consistency.
  6. Serve with parsley. No grated cheese — this dish is cheese-free!
Tip: Puttanesca takes no parmesan; the olives and capers provide all the saltiness needed.
🍕
🇮🇹 Italian Bread
Focaccia con Olive

Liguria's most loved bread. Made with plenty of olive oil and olives — a soft interior and crisp exterior unlike any other.

⏱ Prep: 20 min + 1 hr proving 🍳 Cook: 25 min 👥 Serves 8 Medium

  • 4 cupsbread flour
  • 1 packetinstant dried yeast (7 g)
  • 1½ cupslukewarm water
  • 6 tbspextra virgin olive oil
  • 1½ tspsalt
  • 1 cupmixed green and black olives
  • 1 sprigfresh rosemary
  • 1 tspcoarse sea salt (to finish)

  1. Combine the flour, yeast and salt. Add the lukewarm water and 3 tbsp olive oil; knead into a smooth dough.
  2. Cover and leave to prove for 1 hour.
  3. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Spread the dough across an oiled baking tray.
  4. Press deep dimples all over the dough with your fingers. Drizzle over the remaining olive oil.
  5. Press the olives into the dimples. Scatter rosemary leaves and sprinkle with coarse salt.
  6. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden. Serve warm.
Tip: Be generous with the olive oil — that's the whole secret of focaccia.
🍋
🇮🇹 Italian Main Course
Lemon & Olive Chicken

A Tuscan classic. Chicken golden in olive oil, united with green olives and lemon in a wonderful Mediterranean harmony.

⏱ Prep: 15 min 🍳 Cook: 45 min 👥 Serves 4 Medium

  • 1 wholechicken (jointed) or 4 thighs
  • 1 cupgreen olives (unpitted)
  • 2lemons (one juiced, one sliced)
  • 4 clovesgarlic (crushed)
  • 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cupwhite wine or chicken stock
  • 2 sprigsfresh rosemary
  • 1 sprigfresh thyme
  • Salt, black pepperto taste

  1. Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a wide cast-iron pan; brown the chicken on all sides until golden.
  3. Add the garlic, rosemary and thyme; sauté for 1 minute.
  4. Pour in the wine or stock and boil on a high heat for 2 minutes.
  5. Add the olives and lemon slices. Squeeze in the lemon juice.
  6. Cover partially and cook on a low heat for 35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
  7. Serve with fresh bread or risotto.
Tip: Use unpitted olives — they release far more flavour during cooking.
🇪🇸 Spanish Cuisine
🍅
🇪🇸 Spanish Starter
Pan con Tomate & Olives

Catalonia's morning ritual. Bread rubbed with garlic, topped with grated tomato and plenty of olive oil — simplicity at its finest.

⏱ Prep: 10 min 🍳 Cook: 5 min 👥 Serves 4 Easy

  • 1 loafbaguette or rustic bread (sliced)
  • 4ripe tomatoes
  • 2 clovesgarlic (peeled, whole)
  • 4–5 tbspextra virgin olive oil (Arbequina recommended)
  • Coarse saltto taste
  • ½ cupgreen Spanish olives (Manzanilla)

  1. Toast the bread slices on both sides on a griddle or in a toaster.
  2. Rub the surface of the hot bread with the garlic clove — it will melt into the bread.
  3. Grate the tomatoes on the coarse side of a grater; discard the skins.
  4. Spread the grated tomato over the toasts.
  5. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt.
  6. Serve alongside green Manzanilla olives.
Tip: The fruity aroma of Arbequina olive oil suits this recipe beautifully. Quality oil makes all the difference.
🥣
🇪🇸 Spanish Cold Soup
Gazpacho con Aceite de Oliva

Andalusia's cold soup. A poem of ripe tomatoes, cucumber and olive oil — the most refreshing taste of a hot summer's day.

⏱ Prep: 15 min 🍳 Cook: 2 hr chilling 👥 Serves 4 Easy

  • 1 kgripe tomatoes
  • 1cucumber (peeled)
  • 1red pepper (deseeded)
  • 1 clovegarlic
  • 2 slicesstale white bread (soaked)
  • 5 tbspextra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbspsherry vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
  • Salt, black pepperto taste
  • Garnish:diced tomato, cucumber, croutons, olive oil

  1. Roughly chop all the vegetables and place in a blender.
  2. Squeeze out the soaked bread and add it.
  3. Add the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; blend until completely smooth.
  4. Pass through a fine sieve for a silky finish.
  5. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
  6. Serve cold; top with diced vegetables, croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.
Tip: The riper and sweeter the tomatoes, the better the gazpacho. Make it in peak summer.
🐟
🇪🇸 Spanish Main Course
Tuna & Olive Stew

The masterpiece stew of the Basque Country. Fresh tuna, green olives and spices slow-cooked in olive oil.

⏱ Prep: 15 min 🍳 Cook: 35 min 👥 Serves 4 Medium

  • 600 gtuna fillet (or bonito)
  • 150 ggreen olives (unpitted)
  • 400 gtomatoes (tinned or fresh)
  • 2onions (thin rings)
  • 3 clovesgarlic
  • 1green pepper
  • 4 tbspextra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tspchilli flakes
  • 1bay leaf
  • Salt, fresh parsleyto serve

  1. Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until softened.
  2. Add the green pepper and cook for 3 minutes.
  3. Add the tomatoes, chilli flakes and bay leaf. Simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes.
  4. Add the olives to the sauce.
  5. Lay the tuna pieces into the sauce and spoon the sauce over them.
  6. Cook covered on a low heat for 15–18 minutes; do not overcook the fish.
  7. Scatter fresh parsley on top and serve with crusty bread.
Tip: Tuna cooks very quickly; overcooking dries it out. Leave it slightly pink in the centre.
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