NA food

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Dave Taylor
How do you make that dippin' oil for italian bread? Or can it be bought? Probably olive oil and spices? Just got some ciabatta which made me think of it...is there a better bread for this purpose? I love italian.
 
I use just good olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

If I were to add spices, I'd grind them fine and add them to the vinegar.

Joe
 
+1 - just buy some good olive oil and crack some fresh pepper into it. If you have access to fresh basil you can put the parts you don't use (stems) into a blender with some oil and just a couple of basil leaves and make basil oil, too.

Experiment with the balsalmic vinegar - some is better than others. I like to reduce balsalmic by 50% or so and put that syrup (cooled) into the oil, too.
 
I've seen jars of the dippin' oil spices before. Then you do like they do in the restaurants - dump some in a shallow plate, and add the oil.

I actually like just plain, high end, olive oil a little better than with a lot of spices/seasonings.
 
There are many variations, but most commonly it's made of extra-virgin olive oil and various herbs and spices.

The most common ingredients (other than the olive oil) are basil, minced garlic, bay leaf, oregano, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Many variations are possible, however. Some people add balsamic vinegar, crushed red pepper (fresh or dried), pignoli, and even finely-chopped prosciutto or hard salami.

My opinion is that simple is better. I just use olive oil, basil, oregano, and a tiny bit of salt. Once in a while, I'll mix in some grated Romano cheese, if I'm in the mood. But the oil shouldn't overpower the bread. Think balance.

-Rich
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
The best bread to use is..........
Click to expand...

That's purely a matter of personal preference. I think a good, hearty whole wheat bread with a nice, crisp crust is hard to beat. But everyone has their own tastes.

The only breads I absolutely would advise against dipping are lard breads or other very fatty or oily breads. They have enough fat in them already.

-Rich
 
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