SIRACUSAN BAKED OLIVES

8 to 10 ounces Greek Atalanti olives, drained and soaked in several changes of water to remove salt
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons aged red-wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon Mediterranean oregano
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes (with few seeds), crushed, or 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Rinse and drain the olives. Place them in a shallow 8-by-9-inch baking dish with the white wine and half the olive oil.

Bake the olives, stirring several times, for 40 minutes or until they are glistening and somewhat swollen. Remove them from the oven and prick each with the tines of a fork.

In a mortar, pound the garlic with the parsley until smooth. Mix with the vinegar, remaining oil, oregano, pepper and pepper flakes. Let olives stand in this mixture for several hours before serving.

6 to 8 appetizer servings
Adapted from source: Paula Wolfert's World of Food by Paula Wolfert (Harper & Row, 1988)