Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Entrees Page 33

Orecchiette with Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

The sweetness of butternut squash makes the leap to savory when paired with fresh-pressed olive oil, sage, and kale. Of course, butternut squash can be notoriously difficult to peel and cube. We’ve found it’s easier if you slice the top and bottom off with a sharp knife, then microwave the squash for 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool before peeling and dicing. Save this recipe for a day when you have plenty of time and are looking forward to spending it the kitchen. Though we tried to simplify it, the dish dirties a fair number of pots and pans.

Ingredients

  • 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into small cubes
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 pound orecchiette
  • 1 or 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup rich chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 bunch kale, preferably lacinato, stemmed
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
  • Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss all but one cup of the butternut squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil as well as salt, pepper, the cayenne pepper, and the nutmeg on a rimmed sheet pan. Roast, turning once or twice, until the butternut squash cubes are tender and caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside.

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Sauté the onions until softened, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Do not wash the pan, as you’ll need it again. 1 tablespoon at a time, and knead gently until the mixture is firm enough to roll.

Step 3

Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the remaining cup of butternut squash for approximately 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and cook until broth is almost completely absorbed.

Step 4

Roughly chop the kale leaves. Add the kale to the butternut squash in the saucepan and stir until the kale has softened. Add the onions and white wine and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 5

In the meantime, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the orecchiette according to the package directions until just al dente. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water.

Step 6

Add the remaining chicken broth to the saucepan with the butternut squash and kale and reduce it by one-third (about 10 minutes). Turn the heat to low and add the heavy cream. Stir in the oven-roasted squash. If the sauce seems thick, loosen it with the reserved pasta cooking water (a tablespoon at a time).

Step 7

Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with goat cheese, if using, the sage, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from food52.com

Sicilian-Style Meatballs

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Sicilian-style meatballs can be distinguished from others by the unexpected but delightful addition of currants and pine nuts. While many traditional cooks fry their meatballs on the stovetop before simmering them in tomato sauce, we prefer to bake ours on a wire rack positioned over a rimmed sheet pan. (The meatballs retain their shape and clean-up is easier.) Enjoy as is, or serve over pasta.

Ingredients

  • Two 28-ounce cans peeled Italian tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 slices of white sandwich bread, crusts removed
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or basil
  • 2 pounds ground beef chuck
  • 1/2 cup dried currants
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs, or more as needed

Directions

Step 1

Pour the tomatoes into a large enameled cast-iron casserole and crush them. Add the 1/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil (for easier clean-up) and place an oiled cooling rack on top.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a bowl, soak the bread in water until saturated. Squeeze out the water and transfer the bread to a large bowl. Mash the bread to a paste and stir in the eggs, garlic, parsley, marjoram, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Mash until smooth. Add the ground beef, currants, pine nuts, and cheese and mix until combined. Add the bread crumbs,
1 tablespoon at a time, and knead gently until the mixture is firm enough to roll.

Step 3

Form the mixture into balls, tucking in the currants and pine nuts. It helps to wet your hands with cold water before forming the meatballs. Arrange on the wire cooling rack. Refrigerate the meatballs while you preheat the
oven to 375°F. (If desired, you can also freeze the meatballs on the
rack; transfer them to a sturdy resealable plastic bag when they are solid. Thaw before baking. The sauce can also be frozen.)

Step 4

When ready to cook, place the meatballs (still on the cooling rack/sheet pan set-up) in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Add the meatballs
to the sauce and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano and olive oil on the side.

Serves 4 to 6 generously — Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, September 2007

Italian-Style Porchetta

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Loaded with flavor, this fancy version of a pork roast looks stunning when served whole on a platter, or it can be sliced thinly for sandwiches. Olive oil keeps it moist as it roasts. (Be sure to buy the larger loin roast, not pork tenderloin.)

Ingredients

  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup packed fresh sage leaves
  • 1/4 cup packed fresh rosemary leaves
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 2 strips (each 1/2 by 2 inches) orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
  • 1 pork loin (3 pounds)
  • 4 slices pancetta, unrolled into long strips

Directions

Step 1

Place the garlic, sage, rosemary, salt, pepper, fennel seeds, and orange zest in a food processor and finely chop them. Add in the lemon juice and enough olive oil to obtain a thick paste.

Step 2

Butterfly the pork loin: Place the pork loin on a cutting board. Using a long slender knife, create a slab about 3/4 inch thick by cutting horizontally from one side of the pork loin to the other, leaving a “hinge.” Roll open the pork and repeat the horizontal slicing. Continue unrolling and slicing until you have a flat piece of pork about 3/4 inch thick.

Step 3

Generously spread the inside of the pork with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the herb paste and roll the loin back together so it’s once again cylindrical. Spread the outside of the loin with more herb paste. Don’t forget to coat the ends. The loin should be coated with a 1/8-inch-thick layer of paste. Set aside any leftover paste for another use.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Step 5

Tie up the stuffed loin: Arrange the 4 pieces of butcher’s string going east to west on a work surface parallel to one another, each 1 inch or so apart. (Both ends of the loin should extend about 1 inch beyond the strings when they’re tied.) Place
1 strip of pancetta down the center of the strings so that it is perpendicular to them (lay it north to south). Arrange 2 more strips of pancetta parallel to and on either side of the first strip. Arrange the loin lengthwise on top of the middle strip of pancetta. Arrange the remaining strip of pancetta lengthwise on top of the loin. Pull the ends of each string up over the loin and tie them tightly together to hold the pancetta and loin in place. Put the pork loin in a roasting pan.

Step 6

Roast the pork until sizzling and brown on the outside and cooked to taste, 1 to 1 1/2 hours for medium. To test for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the side of the loin; when done to medium the internal temperature should be 160°F, medium-well 175°F. As the loin cooks, from time to time spoon any juices that gather in the bottom of the roasting pan over the meat.

Step 7

Transfer the porchetta to a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Remove and discard the strings. Cut the pork crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Serve the porchetta by itself (more formal) or pile it onto ciabatta rolls along with olive relish and caramelized onions.

Serves 6 to 8 — Recipe adapted from barbecuebible.com

Garden Pasta Alla Di Mercurio

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

My colleague, master miller Duccio Morozzo della Rocca, and I created this dish during a visit to the Di Mercurio farm and mill. The tomato puree we used is called passata. Find it at larger supermarkets or online. Or use another premium tomato puree, such as one made from San Marzano tomatoes.

Ingredients

  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea), to taste
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 1/2 small eggplant, stemmed, peeled, and diced
  • 1/2 small zucchini, stemmed and diced
  • 1 small red onion, peeled, and diced
  • 1/2 pound (8 ounces) uncooked rigatoni
  • 3 cups high-quality jarred tomato purée
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
  • Crushed red pepper flakes, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil into a cold saucepan. Add the bell pepper, eggplant, zucchini, onion, and a pinch or two of salt. Sauté the vegetables until they’re soft and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

Step 2

In the meantime, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al
dente according to the package directions.

Step 3

Stir the tomato purée into the vegetables and simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Purée the sauce with an immersion blender until it’s fairly smooth. Season with additional salt, if desired. Drain the rigatoni and add to the sauce. Gently stir to combine.

Step 4

Transfer to a warmed shallow bowl and serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, hot red pepper flakes, and extra olive oil for drizzling.

Serves 4 — Recipe courtesy of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club