The tiny plots of land that lie between the Forlì/Cesena hills and Rimini grow the olives that are hand-picked to make PDO Olio extravergine di Oliva Colline di Romagna.
The specific climatic conditions of this area give life to a rather esteemed olive oil, which sets itself apart from the rest due to its chemical and organoleptic properties. It is light, pleasing on the palate, with a slightly bitter, aromatic flavour that comes from the combination of olives that grow on a variety of different olive trees: Correggiolo (at least 60%), Leccino (no more than 30%) and to a lesser extent (around 10%) Pendolino, Moraiolo and Rossina.
Olive trees have been growing on the hillsides in this part of Romagna since time immemorial, as early as the time of the Etruscan civilisation. This Olive tree cultivation has continued seamlessly right through to the present day. From the 1930s onwards, olive oil production saw a considerable increase in terms of both output and quality, so much so that in 2003 it earned the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) mark.
The olives are harvested by hand every year in autumn (20 October - 15 December). Once stripped of their leaves and washed, in the two days that follow, the olive oil is extracted using only physical and mechanical processes.
In cuisine
PDO extra virgin olive oil from the Romagna hills is delicious both as a dressing and to cook with. It works beautifully drizzled over salads and when added to soups, vegetables, creamed sauces, white meat and fish, rich sauces and fried dishes, and of course on a classic bruschetta.
