What You Need to Know
The technique involves slowly pouring olive oil into a mixture of garlic and lemon juice while whisking, creating a stable emulsion through the formation of a complex network of lipids and proteins. The key variables are temperature, pH, and the ratio of oil to garlic.
This technique is unique to Apulian cuisine, where it is used to create a variety of sauces and condiments, such as salsa alla apula.
Key Parameters
Temperature
30°C
20°C - 40°C
Time
15 minutes
5 minutes - 30 minutes
Equipment
BlenderCheeseclothCutting boardKnifeMeasuring cups
Steps
- 1.
Aglio e Olio (Naples, Italy): Forms the base emulsion for the pasta sauce
- 2.
Skordalia (Greece): Creates the characteristic garlicky emulsion in this potato dip
- 3.
Toum (Lebanon): Forms the stable garlic emulsion for this condiment
The Science
Primary Reaction
Lipid oxidation