Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
vegetarian

Farfalle with Creamy Tomato Ricotta Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

While there’s a place for slowly simmered red sauce, I love how quickly this version comes together, enriched with extra virgin olive oil and ricotta cheese. 

Ingredients

  • Coarse sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1/2 cup grated yellow onions 
  • 4 cups cherry tomatoes 
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 fresh basil sprigs
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, more to taste
  • 1 pound farfalle or another pasta of similar size
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water and a tablespoon of salt to a boil just before you start the sauce. 

Step 2

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil, onions, and a sprinkling of salt. Cook until the onions become translucent. Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, sugar, and crushed red pepper, and sauté until the tomatoes burst, stirring constantly. Put the pasta in the boiling water at this point and cook until al dente, according to package directions. 

Step 3

Continue cooking the tomatoes for a few more minutes, just until their liquid starts to reduce. Allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a high-speed blender and process to a smooth sauce, about 30 seconds (start at a low speed and increase gradually to avoid splatter). Pour the sauce back in the skillet and, over medium heat, stir in the ricotta. 

Step 4

Use a large Chinese strainer to transfer the pasta to the skillet and coat with the sauce. Ladle into deep bowls, sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and drizzle with olive oil.

Yields 4 to 6 servings

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Roasting vegetables brings out their depth of flavor and turns a simple salad into a spectacular one. Beets, in particular, become oh so sweet!

Ingredients

  • 2 small red or yellow beets, about 6 ounces each
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Pinch of kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 4 cups micro greens or arugula
  • 1 ripe pear, halved, cored, and cut into thin slices
  • 3 ounces goat cheese, cut into slices
  • 1 small red onion, cut into thin rings
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted pistachios Balsamic vinegar of Modena

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Step 2

Scrub the beets and cut off the roots and tips, but don’t peel. Cut into medium cubes and transfer to the sheet pan. Drizzle liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast until the tip of a sharp knife easily pierces a few cubes, about 30 minutes. Remove beets from the oven and let cool.

Step 3

Divide the greens between two large plates. Top with equal amounts of beets, pears, cheese, red onion, and pistachios. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Serves 2

Melissa’s Vegetarian Dumplings with Dipping Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Melbourne-based foodie and olive oil authority Melissa Wong shared two of her dumpling recipes with me on my most recent trip to Australia for the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club. The shrimp-and pork-based dumpling recipe is available in the current Pressing Report included with our latest Ozzie olive oils. Here is her meatless version. Tailor the filling to your tastes by adding more veggies like diced shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts, or jicama. Please click here to join now so you don’t miss my sumptuous trio of Oz oils shipping now. 

Ingredients

For the dipping sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon ground Sichuan pepper
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic 
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger 
  • 1/2 fresh chile, such as jalapeño or serrano, chopped
  • 2 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons black vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

For the dumplings:

  • 1/2″ piece ginger, peeled and cut into coins
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced small
  • 1/2 carrot, diced small
  • 1 cup diced red cabbage
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 ounce dried rice noodles
  • 1/2 cup diced zucchini
  • 2 portobello mushrooms, diced small
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 package square or round dumpling wrappers (about 50)

Directions

Step 1

For the dipping sauce, toast the sesame seeds in a dry, hot frying pan until fragrant, about 2 minutes; transfer to a small dish and set aside. In the same pan, dry toast the Sichuan pepper, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, swirl in the olive oil, garlic, ginger, chile, cilantro, and sugar. Whisk in the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, scallions, and the reserved sesame seeds. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.

Step 2

For the dumpling filling, place the ginger, garlic, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small food processor and blitz to a rough paste; set aside.

Step 3

Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add in 1 tablespoon olive oil and the onions and cook until the onions soften slightly. Add the carrots and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the ginger-garlic paste and cook until fragrant. Transfer the contents of the wok to a large bowl and return the wok to the stovetop.

Step 4

Let the wok heat up again, then add the remaining tablespoon olive oil and the cabbage and cook until the cabbage softens slightly. Turn off the heat and stir in the coriander and cumin. Add to the bowl with the other vegetables, holding back any released liquid from the cabbage (discard it). Allow the vegetables to cool completely.

Step 5

Soak the rice noodles in cold water until softened, about 3 minutes. Drain and roughly chop into 1″ pieces. Add to the cooked vegetables along with the zucchini and mushrooms. Evenly sprinkle on the cornstarch and mix well. 

Step 6

Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place a bowl of water next to your work area. Open the package of wrappers and cover with a damp kitchen towel so that they won’t dry out. 

Step 7

Place a generous teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper (don’t overfill or the dumplings won’t stay closed). Dip a fingertip in the water bowl and moisten the outer edges of the wrapper, then fold it and press the edges together to seal them. For round wrappers, crimp the edges together to make a crescent shape. For square wrappers, use your fingertip to wet the two bottom corners, then overlap them slightly and press together to form a shape like a bishop’s hat. As you finish each dumpling, place it on the rimmed sheet pan under the towel. There should be enough filling to make about 50 dumplings.

Step 8

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in 12 to 16 dumplings at a time and cook for 7 minutes (they will float to the surface). Use a Chinese strainer to transfer them to a large bowl; cover with a pot lid to keep them warm. Repeat until all the dumplings have been cooked. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Serves 8 to 10 

Cicchetti

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Called cicchetti in Venice, their birthplace, these appetizers are a favorite around the world, especially among the large Italian population in Australia. They’re also quick to assemble from pantry ingredients. For more recipes popular Down Under, check out the Pressing Report in this quarter’s shipment of fresh-pressed olive oils.

Ingredients

  • 1 baguette, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces, about 24 slices
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for topping
  • One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped basil, divided use
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
  • Coarse sea salt 
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Make the crostini (toasts): Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on the pan and brush both sides of each slice with olive oil. Bake, turning once, until the bread is golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Heat a wide saucepan over medium-low heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan along with the garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the garlic is soft but not brown. Stir in the pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute more. Reserve about 1/2 cup chickpeas and add the rest along with the beans to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the beans are warmed through, then mash them with the back of a wooden spoon, a potato masher, or a fork. Stir in half the basil, the lemon juice, and lemon zest. If the beans seem dry, add more olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3

Top each crostini with a spoonful of the bean mixture, then drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with the rest of the chopped basil, the reserved chickpeas, and more red pepper flakes if desired. Refrigerate any leftover bean mixture; it will keep for two days.

Yields 6 to 8 servings