Gaeta olives, also sold as Itrana olives, are small, oval, dark purple-black olives native to the Gaeta area of Italy's Lazio region, where olive growing dates back to Roman times. They are cured through natural fermentation in brine, which softens their natural bitterness and gives a firm, meaty texture with a briny, mildly nutty flavor and subtle herbal and citrus notes. In Italian cooking they are used in salads, pasta dishes, and antipasti platters, and are a common base for tapenade. 'Oliva di Gaeta' is a protected designation of origin (PDO) in Italy, and similar small, meaty olives are also produced in nearby Liguria and Campania under different names.