6393 Dipping bread in oil?

In the US many "Italian" eateries served bread with olive oil to dip in but I have never seen this here in Italy. I am reading a book by a very famous author and his character in northern Italy has been served bread with oil for dipping on more than one occasion. Have I just not been to areas of Italy where they do this or is this strictly fiction?:confused:

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Food & Drink

[QUOTE=Bruno;58331]In the US many "Italian" eateries served bread with olive oil to dip in but I have never seen this here in Italy. I am reading a book by a very famous author and his character in northern Italy has been served bread with oil for dipping on more than one occasion. Have I just not been to areas of Italy where they do this or is this strictly fiction?:confused:[/QUOTE]

Hi Bruno.

Yummmm.

In Loreto and other parts of Abruzzo they serve bread with olio....but you DO NOT dip your bread in it. You drizzle it on the bread, sprinkle a bit of salt....and need I say more....simply delicious.

And if its toasted, even better.

To the Loretese its almost a ritual at the beginning of the season. Not fiction at all.

Hey Bruno

Just been reading a book myself - 'The Eternal City' and the main character is sat in a restaurant at the foot of the Spanish Steps with her sisters and has just broken off a chunk of bread and dipped it in olive oil to eat. :rofl: They must do it in Rome too!

Lorraine

The places we have been to in Marche, Abruzzo, Lazio, Campania, etc...we have not had oil served with bread in a restaurant, never.

you will often get this served in homes for your second breakfast... say you are helping neighbours ... you either have a dish or you pour some on the plate... or the option of drizzling on as described before...

the best place to enjoy it in the way you descibe is during harvest time at the olive mill... they keep filling bowls of fresh oil as its being pressed and you slice off bread which you dip into it.... you throw a bit of salt on and eat with a glass of red wine.... all whilst waiting for your olives to be pressed.... doesnt cost a penny either

in fact in restaurants thats the time they use the bowl method here the most... when the fresh oil is about... those that produce it themselves being proud of the product bring a bowl almost as if its gold for you to try... and because its so fresh you put lashings of it on the bread... because it really isnt that oily at this stage...

It is clearly a bit of a regional thing: in Umbria and Tuscany the new oil is drizzled on the toast (or bread), which ideally has been swiped with half a garlic clove, and then gets a generous sprinkling of salt - as described by numerouno.

If the new oil (and I emphasise the 'new', because with good reason this is treated as a major delicacy) is served in a bowl, it serves as a 'dip' for pinzimonio - fresh uncooked vegetables (the French word is crudite).

Bread (at least in Umbria and Tuscany) needs dipping in something more substantial, and 'wetter' than oil: you can soak up a pasta or a meat sauce with the bread, when it is described as 'scarpetta'. This is also the word for rather sloppy slippers which you might use in the house...so you must let your imaginaton run a little bit, and imagine slovenly sliding about in your bedroom slippers in the ragu alla lepre....and then sucking them. Sounds a bit earthy, but delicious!

I think it depends on the restaurant and often how hospitable the owners are. My fidanzato is a bit of a foodie and so generally gets involved in some sort of food chat whereupon they will come over with a couple of oils which they will put in individual plates (for dipping) to taste the difference. As somone else said, if they have an oil they are particularly proud of, they will often bring it over. If you are a tourist then unfortunately this may happen less as many Italians believe that foreigners (especially us from the North!) would not know olive oil from car oil... but if you ask for oil it will always be brought. Then the dipping or sprinkling (with salt or without) is up to you!

Is there a supermarket in the UK that 'Italian ' bread?.I appreciate you can get Ciabatta 's & foccacia etc ,but I have trouble in finding a decent crusty bread that is not too soft and doughy unlike the lovely 'heavy' brad that the Italians serve you.Oh and by the way Give me a bowl of oil and i'll dip my bread all day long mmmmm luvvly jubbly

[QUOTE=Bruno;58387]The places we have been to in Marche, Abruzzo, Lazio, Campania, etc...we have not had oil served with bread in a restaurant, [COLOR="Red"][SIZE="3"]never.[/[/SIZE][/COLOR]QUOTE]

Hiya Bruno.

Never? oh no, you don't know what you're missing!

Perhaps LisaJ's post above, could be the scanario on your travels? Heck mio amico, even a place like RISTO (near the Citta San Angelo exit) has a least 30-40 bottles of olio for free-use by clients.

Next time ask and, I promise, you wont be disappointed.

Yuuummmm.

I know oil is readily avialable at restaurants but in the US Italian restaurants serve bread and oil in a little bowl every time all year. This does not seem to be the norm here in Italy, or is it in some regions?

Here in Ascoli we avoid the few tourist places there are and only go to places the locals use (meaning oral menu) and we have never seen oil served with bread to anyone. Perhaps this will change come olive harvest season but I have not seen this where we live nor in travels around Italy.

Interesting observation for many of our visitors often quietly complain that, unlike the US and other parts of the world, an exciting range of breads to dunk in oil and balsamic vinegar are not served in Tuscany as you wait for your first course to arrive. Some say that in other parts of the world, "Italian restaurants" even serve different types of butters (herb, anchovy, etc.) and they expect that too when they come here. Big disappointment on both counts! I've never seen either around here but must admit to later on at dinner mopping up salad dressing with the remains of the bread basket.

[QUOTE=Violetta;58873]I I've never seen either around here but must admit to later on at dinner mopping up salad dressing with the remains of the bread basket.[/QUOTE]

I enjoy soaking up the juice with bread, too. One of our Italian friends called this "fare la scarpetta".

6393 Dipping bread in oil?

while we're on the subject.............