Caponata (Sicilian aubergine salad) —from Anna Tasca Lanza, The Heart of Sicily

In short, pesto is a question of balance and taste. It’s like tomato sauce for southern Italians: everyone has his or her own recipe; there are hundreds of them, and it’s all a question of balancing the ingredients to taste. For 4 people: 4 large bunches of basil

Olive Pastes

Bruschetta

Portugal

Up until the 1970s pharmacies were the only place in Britain where one could find olive oil. It was stocked as a laxative.

Greece

and when in the 1920s the Martini with its green olive became the Jazz Era drink of choice, and the black ripe olive became a staple of the ‘relish tray’, olives were absolved.

Mash the garlic in a mortar to a paste. Add the salt and one egg yolk. Stir slowly but firmly, add the second yolk and stir again evenly. Add the oil drop by drop until the mixture thickens. When the aioli holds the fork upright it is ready. Serves 4 people. Makes 1 cup.