Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
vegetarian

JuanJo’s Farm Pistachio Pesto and Roasted Tomatoes

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

For his pesto, JuanJo used semi-matured goat cheese rather than Parmigiano-Romano (see more in the Healthy Ingredient Spotlight in Newsletter). It was simple, fast, and stunning. He dolloped it on just-roasted tomatoes, and it’s equally delicious on bruschetta, as a sandwich spread, tossed with hot pasta and a splash of pasta water, served with grilled fish or chicken, and stirred into warm white beans.

Ingredients

For the tomatoes:

  • 4 ripe tomatoes, about 8 ounces each
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 ounces semi-matured or hard goat cheese, finely grated

For the pesto:

  • 1 cup shelled pistachios, raw and unsalted
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus more to taste
  • 1/3 cup finely grated semi-matured or hard goat cheese, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed 
  • Coarse sea salt to taste

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Step 2

Halve the tomatoes horizontally and place them, cut side up, in a shallow casserole dish. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until they soften and begin to brown. Then top each half with equal amounts of the cheese and roast for another 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly golden on top.

Step 3

While the tomatoes are roasting, make the pesto. Warm the pistachios in a hot, dry skillet for 2 to 3 minutes, just enough time to wake up their natural oils but not to color them. This keeps the pesto a vivid green.

Step 4

Pulse the pistachios and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add the basil, lemon zest, and juice and pulse a few more times. Add the cheese and pulse briefly to combine.

Step 5

With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto becomes a spoonable consistency. If too thick, add more olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse. Taste and season with salt if needed. If desired, add more lemon for brightness, more olive oil for body, and/or more cheese for richness.

Step 6

Plate two tomato halves on each of four plates and spoon generous amounts of the pesto over each one.

Yields 4 servings

Olive Toast

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This makes a satisfying lunch and a great appetizer for your next get-together. I love the tangy, fruity taste of sumac, a spice that’s finally getting the attention it deserves. If you’ve got the grill on, drizzle olive oil on the bread and toast over the coals. 

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice  
  • 1 medium garlic clove, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon sumac, such as Wild Sumac
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns like Vine-Ripened Black Peppercorns
  • 1/8 teaspoon peperoncino (Italian crushed red pepper flakes)
  • 4 ounces each pitted Castelvetrano and Kalamata olives
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 8 baguette or crusty whole-grain bread slices
  • 8 ounces goat cheese at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Step 1

In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, sumac, salt, pepper, and peperoncino. Coarsely chop the olives and add to the bowl along with the parsley; let marinate for 30 minutes.

Step 2

When ready to assemble, toast the bread. Spread each slice with equal amounts of goat cheese, then top with the walnuts and the olive mixture. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Yields 4 lunch or 8 appetizer servings

Marinated Mozzarella Pearls

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Add zest to mozzarella with this flavorful marinade. Pearls are cheese balls about the size of cherry tomatoes. Serve them as a finger food or pair with tomatoes for a first course. 

Ingredients

  • 1 medium lemon
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped mix of fresh parsley and basil leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt 
  • 16 ounces mozzarella pearls

Directions

Step 1

Use a Microplane set over a medium bowl to zest the lemon (reserve the rest of the lemon for another recipe) and grate the garlic. Add the herbs, red pepper, olive oil, and salt if using and whisk well.

Step 2

Place the mozzarella into a half-pint lidded jar. Drizzle the olive oil mixture over the pearls and let marinate on the counter for 30 minutes. If not eating right away, cover and refrigerate (bring to room temperature before serving). 

Serves 8

Baked Ziti

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This delectable dish starts with a rich yet quick tomato sauce. You can substitute a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes with their juice for the fresh tomatoes but add it after the tomato paste. 

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish and drizzling
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 pound tomatoes, any type, coarsely chopped
  • One 6-ounce can tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound ziti
  • 16 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 12 ounces mozzarella, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

Step 1

Brush a 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish with olive oil; set aside.

Step 2

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the 3 tablespoons olive oil and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes, then add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomatoes become soft, then push them to the outsides of the pan. Add the tomato paste and cook it until it becomes fragrant and darkens in color, about 5 minutes. Mix the paste with the tomatoes and garlic, then press with a masher to release all of the tomatoes’ juices. Stir in the sugar, salt, and both peppers and continue cooking for 10 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F. Cook the ziti according to the package directions until al dente, then drain. 

Step 4

Off the heat, stir the ricotta into the sauce, then fold in the pasta. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Top with overlapping slices of mozzarella, then sprinkle on the grated cheese.

Step 5

Bake for 25 minutes, until the cheeses are bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Yields 8 servings