Sun-dried tomato dip

The taste of sun-dried tomatoes reminds me of Italy—this explains why I get so much enjoyment out of preparing this dip. You’ll need:

•Cream cheese: 300g (10 oz.)

•Dried tomatoes: 150g (5 oz.)

•Carapelli Il Nobile extra virgin olive oil, to taste

•2 cloves of garlic

•1 tablespoon of rosemary

•Salt and pepper, to taste

Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and cover with oil to moisten them. Add the chopped garlic, salt and pepper and leave to stand for two hours. After this time has passed, finely chop the tomato and mix with the cream cheese.

Yogurt and basil dip

Another olive oil dip recipe that is considered gourmet is yogurt dip with basil and walnuts. You just need to beat:

•1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

•10 basil leaves

•1 pot of natural yogurt

•1 tablespoon of Carapelli Il Centenario olive oil

•Salt and pepper, to taste

Pair this dip with a little white bread, carrot or cucumber.

Tuna dip

This tuna dip gives your palate an original and exotic flavor. To make it you just need the following ingredients:

•2 jars of quality tuna

•2 tablespoons of lemon juice

•1 sprig of fresh mint

•1/2 small onion

•1 tablespoon of Carapelli Oro Verde olive oil

•Salt and pepper, to taste

Mix all the ingredients together. Don’t forget to drain the water from the tuna before adding it to the mixture. Use a blender to make it easier to spread later on.

As you are well aware by now, I love welcoming people into my home, and preparing all kinds of recipes in my kitchen is a sure-fire way to keep myself occupied. When my friends come over, they hope the meal isn’t ready yet as this gives them a chance to try my olive oil dips. I can assure you these dips leave a lasting impression.