Olives, like prosciutto, should be included in any antipasto, elaborate or simple. Here are a couple of ways to dress up olives for your own antipasto di casa. Both suggestions use citrus to brighten up the flavor, and both benefit from standing at room temperature about an hour before serving.

　　

Ingredients

　　

Step 1

To make thin strips of orange or lemon zest, use a special tool called a zester, or remove the zest with a vegetable peeler, then cut it into thin strips. In either case, be sure to remove just the orange or yellow part of the fruit, without the bitter white pith that lies underneath.

　　

Step 2

Toss large, meaty green olives like Cerignolas with strips of lemon zest, a little lemon juice, some dried oregano, and a generous drizzle of olive oil.

　　

Step 3

Toss thin strips of orange zest with oil-cured Gaeta olives and a little squeeze of juice from the orange. Add some crushed hot red pepper if you like.

　　From Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright © 2001 by A La Carte Communications and Tutti a Tavola, LLC. Published by arrangement with Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.Buy the full book from Amazon.