In many dishes the kitchen forgives a mediocre oil. In some it does not. Where the oil stands raw and at the centre, every weakness becomes the lead — and so does every quality.
Bruschetta
Toasted bread, garlic, perhaps tomato — and oil. That is all it is, so the oil is the dish. A flat oil makes a flat bruschetta. Here a fruity, lively oil shows everything it has.
Carpaccio
Wafer-thin raw meat or fish, salt, lemon, oil. Nothing covers anything. A dense, peppery oil like the Intenso sets the accent the dish needs here — a few drops are enough.
Aglio e olio
The most honest pasta dish there is: garlic, oil, peperoncino. If the oil is merely heated rather than tasted, the whole point is lost. A balanced Nobile carries the dish without overwhelming it.
More on this in our recipes — six dishes, each matched to one of our oils.