PINZIMONIO

RECIPE: Pinzimonio
Marcella Hazan told me, one Aspen Food & Wine Classic, that the Italian appetizer preparation called “pinzimonio" is a combination of the verb "pinzare" (to pinch; you pick up the raw vegetable pieces with your fingertips) and "matrimonio." You "marry" the crudités with the best possible extra virgin olive oil. That's all. That’s it.

Ingredients (to make 1 serving)
Your best extra virgin olive oil
Any of many possible raw vegetables, in quantity of your choosing, cleaned and cut: small stalks of celery and their leaves (the tenderest and palest possible); radishes, rough stems and roots pared away, stuck with decorative toothpicks as holders; fennel, cleaned of its feathery top and sliced into half-moons, tender stems remaining attached if desired; carrots, peeled (the slimmest and tenderest possible); red bell pepper, de-veined and seeded, cut into strips; Persian cucumbers, sliced longways into fourths; scallions ("green onions"), cleaned and root ends trimmed off; leaves of Belgian endive or thin radicchio. Et cetera.

Directions
Place a small ramekin on a large flat bowl or plate. Pour the olive oil into the ramekin. Add unholy amounts of a finishing salt such as Maldon and freshly ground black pepper to the oil. Add crostini, pieces if bread or crackers, if desired.

Arrange the raw vegetables on the plate. “Pinch,” dip and “marry” away.