Italians primarily use olive oil, including Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) for general cooking and sautéing, but for very high heat frying, they often reach for refined olive oil, seed oils, or rendered fats like lard (strutto), with butter being common in the North. While EVOO is foundational, refined versions or other fats are used for deep frying to preserve flavor and manage smoke points better.
The reason why people drop it on top is because it has a lot of flavour, that go good with a lot of vegetables, bread, potatoes and so on. Good cooks normally don't use the ``same oil they used for everything else''. Good olive oil is not for roasting meat or backing or whatever. It's for seasoning.
Extra virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), which are quite heat stable and less likely to undergo oxidization, making it a healthy choice for cooking even with relatively high heat.
When choosing a cooking oil, it's best to choose an oil high in poly and/or mono-unsaturated fats, which are heart-healthy fats derived foods such as olives, seeds, nuts and vegetables. Olive oil, which is high in monounsaturated fats, is a particularly beneficial choice for heart health.
Gordon Ramsay favors high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oils (EVOO), especially award-winning artisanal ones from Istria, Croatia, like Brist, which he's used on his Uncharted series, praising its bold, grassy flavor. He also uses EVOO from Puglia, Italy, at his restaurants, like Leccina and Coratina, and sources exceptional, small-batch oils from unexpected places, like an electrical shop in London run by a Turkish family.
Extra-virgin olive oil.
Considered the “gold standard” in Italian cooking, EVOO is unrefined and cold-extracted and is never exposed to chemicals or high heat.
Well, it is because of the Mediterranean diet! People in Italy enjoy a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, beans, tomatoes, poultry, whole grains, olive oil, red wine, dairy ― and they consume very little red meat. They usually satisfy a sweet tooth with fruits instead of sugary desserts as well.
No two aglio e olio recipes are alike, but this one is pretty true to the classic method. The key is slowly toasting the garlic slices to a perfect golden brown in the olive oil. If it's too light, you don't get the full flavor and if it's too dark it gets bitter.
Yes, olive oil may help improve sleep quality for some people. Its healthy fats can promote a sense of fullness, potentially preventing late-night snacking. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory properties of olive oil may help relax the body, which could aid in falling asleep more easily.
In Italy, traditional pasta makers use ancient grains or high-quality durum wheat (zero glyphosate), slow-dry the pasta for up to 72 hours, and bronze-cut the dough to keep its natural structure intact. The result? Pasta that's easier to digest, higher quality, and actually tastes like wheat.
The worst cooking oils for health are generally those high in saturated fats (like palm oil, coconut oil, butter) and highly processed vegetable/seed oils (like soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, cottonseed oil) which are unstable and form harmful compounds at high heat, potentially raising bad cholesterol (LDL) and contributing to inflammation or disease. Partially hydrogenated oils, containing artificial trans fats, are especially bad and should be avoided, though largely removed from products.
6 anti-inflammatory cooking oils
However, if you do need to deep fry your food, our long-standing advice is that oils like corn and sunflower oils are not recommended for high temperatures. These oils are rich in polyunsaturated fats which can form undesirable compounds when heated at high temperatures.
Eating habits are also a factor. Italians who regularly consume fruits and vegetables, for example, have a significantly lower rate of overweight than those who regularly drink alcohol and consume junk food. Obese people seem to get more pleasure from shopping and are more interested in cooking.
🍝🔪❌ In Italy, spaghetti is meant to be enjoyed in its full, unbroken glory. Cutting or breaking it not only disrupts the tradition but also changes the way the sauce clings to the pasta. Twirl your fork, savor the flavor, and enjoy spaghetti the Italian way—long and uncut!
The 1-10-100 rule for cooking pasta is a simple guideline for perfect seasoning: use 1 liter of water, 10 grams of coarse salt, and 100 grams of dried pasta per serving, ensuring the pasta is seasoned well as it cooks, with the water tasting salty like the sea. This ratio provides enough water for the pasta to move freely, preventing stickiness, and enough salt to flavor it properly without needing to add much (or any) salt later.
Ramsay said, "This country produces some of the best olive oil anywhere in the world," and he even compared it to "liquid gold." The preferred oil in question is Brist Extra Virgin Olive Oil, an award-winning, family-owned and operated olive mill in Istria.
No need at all for oil. Italian people don't do thar just make sure your water is properly seasoned and on a rolling boil when the pasta is cooked remove from the pan with a pasta draining spoon and add straight to your sauce adding a little of the pasta water if the sauce is a bit thick.
People are drinking or taking a "shot" of olive oil before bed for benefits like improved digestion, reduced inflammation, better sleep quality, and to help with weight management, leveraging its healthy fats, polyphenols, and ability to support hormone production like melatonin. This practice, common in Mediterranean traditions, can promote fullness, potentially curb nighttime cravings, and provide anti-inflammatory relief for better rest.
Michelin Star chefs are always on the lookout for the best ingredients to elevate their dishes, and cooking oils are no exception. Oils like algae oil, Zero Acre oil, and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) are favored for their ability to enhance flavor.
Gordon Ramsay was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC), a common and treatable form of skin cancer, which required surgical removal from his jawline near his ear in late August 2025, leading him to share his experience online to urge fans to use sunscreen and protect their skin. He posted photos of his bandages, emphasizing sun safety and thanking his medical team.
One of Jamie's favourite olive oils comes from the Petrolo estate in South-Eastern Chianti, Tuscany. Last year, some of our Jamie's Italian staff and Fifteen apprentices got an amazing opportunity to head off to Italy, visit the estate and learn all about how this amazing oil is produced.