Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Fresh Herb Marinade

This marinade imparts deep flavor to meat, especially when marinated overnight. Consider the following herbs a suggestion—make this recipe your own by combining your favorites, fresh or dried. Note: This Condimento Barili Exclusivi marinade is excellent for beef, lamb, and game; you can adapt it to chicken, pork, and fish by using Condimento Bianco Senape […]

Duccio’s Pastina Soup AKA Italian Penicillin

While we waited for the magic window for harvesting, My Merry Band of Tasters and I rented a house in Toscana where we could create recipes for this Pressing Report. Duccio shared two of his favorites, including this comforting broth enriched with cheese and olive oil.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium carrots, trimmed, peeled, and cut into large chunks
  • 1 large celery stalk, trimmed and cut into chunks
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
  • 1 medium tomato, quartered
  • 4 fresh flat-leaf parsley springs
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 20 black peppercorns
  • 8 ounces pastina, stars, orzo, or other tiny pasta
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, plus more to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Directions

Step 1

Place the carrots, celery, onions, tomato, and parsley in a stockpot with the water, salt, and peppercorns. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. With the lid ajar, continue to cook at a low boil for 45 minutes.

Step 2

Strain the broth to remove the vegetables, parsley, and peppercorns. Return the broth to the pot and bring it back to a boil. Add the pastina and cook until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring often; don’t overcook the pasta. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as desired.

Step 3

To serve, ladle into four bowls and top with equal amounts of cheese, stirring it into the broth. Drizzle liberally with olive oil.

Serves 4

Porchetta Spread

Legend has it that porchetta, a highly seasoned and rather large pork roast, originated more than two thousand years ago in the town of Ariccia in Lazio. This zesty spread lets you savor the taste without having to make the roast—serve it with roasted chicken, pork, or vegetables. For a fabulous sandwich, lavish it on ciabatta bread and add slices of ham, turkey, or your favorite meat, arugula for a hint of spiciness, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Ingredients

  • Heaping 1/2 cup chopped fennel fronds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary needles
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
  • 5 garlic cloves, grated on a microplane grater or mashed to a paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon pepperoncini (crushed red pepper flakes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice 
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Add the fennel fronds and seeds, herbs, garlic, salt, both peppers, and zest to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and process until well combined.

Yields enough to season 4 to 6 sandwiches

Vietnamese-Style Cucumber Salad

Inspired by the ingredients in a traditional Vietnamese summer roll, this is a zesty salad that’s hearty enough for a meal any time of the year. To make the recipe your own, choose the types of cucumber and chiles you like best.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound cucumbers 
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce such as Mae Ploy (available at Asian markets)
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 chile, such as jalapeño, serrano, or poblano, depending on heat preference, stemmed and chopped 
  • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 2 scallions, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 Hass avocados, ripe but still firm
  • 1 pound cooked jumbo shrimp 
  • 1/3 cup peanuts
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Step 1

If using thin English or Persian cucumbers, slice them into 1/4-inch discs; if using thicker cukes, cut them in half lengthwise, then into half-moon shapes about 1/4-inch thick. Place the slices in a large colander set over a large bowl or in the sink and sprinkle with the salt; toss well. Allow the cucumbers to sweat for about 15 minutes, then rinse to remove extra salt and shake well. 

Step 2

In a large glass bowl, mix the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, lime juice, and sweet chili sauce. Add in the cucumbers, red onion, chile, carrots, and scallions, and toss to combine. Cut the avocados into small cubes and halve each shrimp lengthwise from top to tail; fold both into the cucumber salad along with the peanuts and herbs. Allow the mixture to marinate for about 20 minutes, then serve at room temperature.

Yields 4 servings

Celery Leaf Bruschetta

One of the many foods unique to Umbria, and nearly impossible to find anywhere else, is “black celery,” grown near the ancient town of Trevi. While not exactly black, its leaves are a much deeper and brighter green than common celery. My adaptation of the dish served at Albergo Ristorante Il Terziere includes similarly hued parsley and has all the freshness of the original.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon pine nuts
  • 1 garlic clove, grated on a microplane
  • 1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling 
  • 2 tablespoons packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1 1/3 cups packed whole fresh celery leaves 
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
  • Pinch of pepperoncini (crushed red pepper flakes), or to taste
  • Crusty bread or baguette

Directions

Heat a small frying pan; when hot, dry-toast the pine nuts for about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly, then add to a food processor fitted with a metal blade along with rest of the ingredients, except the bread. Pulse until well combined and smooth. To make the bruschetta, slice the bread on the bias and toast the slices under the oven broiler for 2 minutes or until golden (you can also do this in
a sauté pan or griddle on the stovetop). Arrange the toasts on a serving platter, drizzle each with olive oil, and spread on the pesto.

Serves 4 to 6

Insalata Torre a Cona

My Merry Band of Tasters and I enjoyed this vibrant mixed salad at the historic Torre a Cona estate just outside Florence. It’s dressed with a light vinaigrette that enhances the pepperiness and bitterness of the lettuces.

Ingredients

  • One bulb fennel, about 16 ounces
  • 5 ounces radishes, very thinly sliced
  • One 12-ounce head of radicchio, cut into ribbons
  • 6 ounces frisée or curly endive
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

Trim the bottom off the fennel bulb, then use a mandoline (or a thin food processor slicing blade or the slicing side of a box grater) to shave it into thin slices. Mince a few fronds and add them with the fennel to a large salad bowl along with the radishes, radicchio, and frisée. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss well with tongs. Run a cheese plane across the surface of the Parmigiano-Reggiano to create wide shavings and scatter them on top of the salad.

Serves 6 to 8