Saffron-Infused Olive Oil

• 1 teaspoon loosely packed toasted saffron threads (see box, page 243)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 cup freshly grated pecorino (or half pecorino and half Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for a milder flavor), plus more for passing
• A mortar and pestle or spice grinder; a minifood processor

1. Put the toasted saffron threads into the mortar or spice grinder, and pulverize to a powder.
2. Pour the olive oil and the salt into a small mixing bowl.
3. Add the crushed saffron.
4. Rinse the mortar with a tablespoon of hot water, collecting any remaining bits of ground saffron, and pour that into the saffron oil.
5. Whisk to mix thoroughly.
6. If you are not using the saffron oil right away, transfer the oil to a small container and let it infuse at room temperature for at least 1/2 hour.
7. Shortly before using, whisk chopped parsley into the oil.
8. (To store the oilpreferably before adding parsleycover the container and refrigerate for up to a week.)
9. To dress maccheroni alla chitarra (or other pasta) with the saffron oil: Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente.
10. Drain the cooked maccheroni, and drop the strands into a big warm bowl, drizzle the oil all over the top, and toss well (and quickly) to coat all the strands of pasta with golden oil.
11. Sprinkle over it a cup or so of grated cheese, and toss again.
12. Serve immediately in warm bowls, with more cheese at the table.
13. One reason I feel such an affinity for the cooking of Abruzzo is the generous use of peperoncinohot red chili pepper, fresh or dried.
14. Lavish spiciness is typical of southern Italian cuisines, and although I am from the north, I love it, and it makes me feel right at home.
15. The Abruzzesi refer to their favorite red chilis as diavolicchio, diavolillo, or diavolinoall of which mean little deviland when you taste them youll know why.
16. Often, these devilish peperoncini are steeped in olive oil, creating a spicy-hot condiment called olio santo or holy oil.
17. If you love heat, a drizzle of this oil makes a good dish more heavenly.
18. Olio santo is an indispensable condiment in Abruzzo, set on the table so that everyone can regulate the level of heat in a dish to his or her own taste.
19. Whether its a soup, a pasta, or a main dish, if you want more heat, all you need to do is sprinkle over it a teaspoon of holy oil, give it a stir, and get immediate results.
20. To make your own olio santo, pour a cup of good extra-virgin olive oil into a glass jar, and drop in a teaspoon of kosher salt and 2 tablespoons of small whole dried peperoncini, about ten little peppers (see Sources, page 387).
21. Cover tightly, and let the oil infuse at room temperature for at least 2 days.
22. Give it a good shake, and use.
23. Store in the sealed jar, in a cool place, for a month or more.
24. (If you are a peperoncino-lover, too, be sure to try the heavenly pasta from Basilicata, Fiery Maccheroni page 311.
25. Its peperoncino-paste dressing is also a hot all-purpose condiment.)

extravirgin olive oil, kosher salt, fresh italian parsley, freshly grated pecorino, processor

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/saffron-infused-olive-oil-372338 (may not work)