Easy Dipping Oil

Go to any fancy Italian restaurant and you are sure to be greeted with a basket of crusty bread and fruity olive oil. You don’t have to put on your Sunday best to experience the same pleasure of tearing chunks of bread and plunging them deep into a shallow bowl of goodness.

I wasn’t planning on posting an article about the pepperoni bread I bought from DeLallo’s and the simple dipping oil I made to compliment it; but there was a lovely simplicity that I thought you might appreciate. Forget about spending a gigantic amount of money on gourmet oils from a specialty gourmet shop. Simply take really good extra virgin olive oil and add a few ingredients that are typically found in your kitchen cupboard.

The process is simple. Find a shallow dish with an opening that is wide enough to dip your bread slices. Add your desired amount of grated Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and a spoonful of fresh minced garlic. Then stir. I like to add a small bunch of fresh basil on the side for color and for those moments when I want to add a burst of fresh flavor to my bite of bread.

The presentation is lovely and the droplets of oil escaping from the corner of your mouth will be deliciously satisfying. There is a whole variety of ingredients that would work well. I encourage you to get creative and try different ideas the next time you decide to make some easy dipping oil.

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