The Traditional Recipe for Alioli with Olive Oil
Alioli is a garlic and oil sauce commonly found in the Mediterranean diet. It is versatile, typically used as a condiment in some dishes, especially fish or seafood preparations, and sometimes served as a separate sauce.
Some recipes add an egg yolk to the mixture, but purists argue that if it contains egg, it is not alioli.
What is the origin of alioli?
Its origin dates back to ancient Egypt, from where it was adopted by the Romans and spread throughout Italy and Sicily. In what is now Spain, the Andalusians brought it north to the Balearic Islands. As mentioned earlier, it originally consisted of garlic and oil.
How do you prepare the perfect alioli with olive oil?
Alioli or “garlic oil” requires the following ingredients:
- Garlic: 3 or 4 cloves, depending on the desired strength of flavour.
- Olive oil: For a more intense flavour, use extra virgin olive oil.
- A pinch of coarse salt.
We will prepare the sauce in a mortar to achieve a perfect consistency, the same as that of our ancestors.
Preparation Method:
- Peel the garlic and remove the green germ inside the garlic.
- Chop the garlic into small pieces.
- Add the chopped garlic and a few grains of coarse salt to the mortar and start pounding the garlic from top to bottom, hammering until it becomes a paste.
- Add the oil drop by drop, always moving the mixture in the same direction and without stopping. It is important to add the oil drop by drop rather than in a stream to prevent it from curdling.
- The sauce will be ready when it has a thick and firm consistency.
How to prepare alioli with egg?
To prepare alioli with egg, you can use a blender, which significantly reduces the preparation time.
The ingredients needed are:
- 1 egg
- 1 or 2 garlic cloves
- Half a glass of olive oil (100 ml), extra virgin if you want a more intense flavour
- Salt
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
Preparation:
1. Add all the ingredients to the blender jar.
2. Start blending with the blender stick at the bottom and without moving it.
3. When the sauce thickens, move the blender up and down gently until the sauce is thick and homogeneous, without lumps or remaining ingredients.
Alioli with olive oil is a delicious, intensely flavoured sauce that adds a special touch to fish or meat dishes. Additionally, it is a healthy dish, considering all the benefits of olive oil for our health.
