Roasted Olives with Lemon, Garlic, and Herbs Recipe
Actress Debi Mazar, coauthor of Super Tuscan, whips up a delizioso (and bellissimo) roasted snack.

Photo: Mike Garten
When I was a kid in Queens, New York, my grandmother would serve olives on a fancy
crystal dish to impress her Italian boyfriend (she would also swirl
them around in her martini glass), and I found them elegant and
fascinating. My love affair continued after I met my husband,
Gabriele, in Florence and saw his beautiful olive trees with their
glistening silver leaves. Every year as a family, we harvest them by
hand for hours, and I’ve gotten into roasting them, too. I just love
their savory taste and smell, and a little heat brings them to
life–making their earthy, salty goodness shine. Oh, and they’re
healthy, too. Mangiamo!
Ingredients
6 3-inch thyme sprigs
2 3-ince rosemary sprigs
1/2 tsp. coarsely crushed fennel seeds
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound (about 3 cups) assorted olives
1/2 lemon, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 unpeeled large garlic clove, crushed
Position a rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°. In a small bowl, crush thyme sprigs and rosemary sprigs; add fennel seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, and extra-virgin olive oil and stir. In a large baking dish, spread olive oil mixture and arrange assorted olives in a single layer and lemon.
Roast, stirring halfway through, until mixture is very fragrant and sizzling, about 20 minutes. During last 5 minutes, stir in garlic. Cool until warm or at room temperature.
(Olives can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving.)
Ingredients
Position a rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°. In a small bowl, crush thyme sprigs and rosemary sprigs; add fennel seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, and extra-virgin olive oil and stir. In a large baking dish, spread olive oil mixture and arrange assorted olives in a single layer and lemon.
Roast, stirring halfway through, until mixture is very fragrant and sizzling, about 20 minutes. During last 5 minutes, stir in garlic. Cool until warm or at room temperature.
(Olives can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving.)