Tag Archives: olive oil

Quick and Easy Foolproof Pizza Dough from melskitchencafe.com

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  • IMG_48991 cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 tablespoon instant yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2-3 cups flour
  1. In a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the water, honey, oil, yeast and salt. Add the flour gradually until a soft dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The exact flour amount will vary so go by the touch and feel of the dough versus the exact cup measurements in the recipe. The dough should be soft and smooth (not leaving a residue on your fingers but not super stiff, either).
  2. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes (more like 5-6 minutes if kneading by hand or if using whole wheat flour).
  3. Let the dough rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Shape the dough into pizza(s), spread with sauce and toppings, and bake at 475 or 500 degrees on a preheated pizza stone or on a lightly greased baking sheet for 8-10 minutes (for an in-depth look at baking methods, here is a great tutorial)

mel’s note: I almost always use 1/2 or up to 3/4 whole wheat flour with good results – I let it knead for a few minutes longer. Also, this recipe doubles, triples and quadruples really well. If doubling, use double the amount for all the ingredients. For triple and quadruple batches, increase all the ingredients accordingly except the yeast – only use 2 tablespoons yeast for a tripled batch and 2 1/2 tablespoons yeast for a quadrupled batch. Keep an eye on the flour if increasing the recipe. You want a soft, smooth dough – not too sticky and definitely not overfloured.

Orecchiette with Roasted Butternut Squash, Kale, and Caramelized Red Onion food 52

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1 large butternut squash, cut into small cubes, divided
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, for seasoning
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 red onion, sliced thinly
1/2 pound orecchiette
1 or 2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 cups veggie broth, divided
1 bunch kale
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 ounce goat cheese, optional
1 tablespoon chopped sage
Parmesan cheese, to serve

  1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Toss all but 1 cup of the butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, pepper, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and the nutmeg. Roast until butternut squash pieces are tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Set aside.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook sliced red onions until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Heat a pot of water over high heat until boiling. Salt water generously. Cook orecchiette according to package instructions until al dente.
  4. Meanwhile, heat another tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Cook the remaining cup of butternut squash for approximately 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and cook until broth is almost completely absorbed.
  5. Remove the middle stems from the kale and roughly chop the leaves. Add kale to butternut squash and stir until kale has softened. Add caramelized red onions.
  6. Add white wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add remaining chicken broth and reduce, about 10 minutes.
  7. Turn heat to low and add the heavy cream. When the pasta is al dente, add it to the pan with the sauce. Add the roasted butternut squash.
  8. Loosen sauce with pasta water if needed. Sprinkle with goat cheese (optional), sage, and Parmesan cheese.  Serves 4

Focaccia with Caramelized Onions, Pear and Blue Cheese

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  • 1 cup warm water201101-r-focaccia
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
  • 1 large Bosc pear, cored and sliced
  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
  1. In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast and honey and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the flour and 1/4 cup of the oil; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining flour and the salt and knead until smooth. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic and let stand for 1 hour.
  2. Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the onion, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the sugar, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 10 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 450°. Oil a 9-by-13 inch rimmed baking sheet. Transfer the dough to the sheet and press it down to fit. Dimple the dough all over with your fingers and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Let the dough rise until puffed, about 20 minutes.
  4. Scatter the onions over the dough. Arrange the pear over the onions and sprinkle with the blue cheese. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the focaccia and bake for 20 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve.

 

Alma’s Cooked Water Soup, Lidia

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2 pounds Swiss chaalma's_cooked_water_soup_851_frd
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery , trimmed, peeled and cut in chunks
⅓ cup Italian parsley
8 fresh basil leaves
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon peperoncino
1 tablespoon tomato paste
9 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
eggs, (1 for each serving of soup)
day-old country bread, (1/2 a slice)
pecorino, freshly grated

Wash and drain the chard and tear out the long stems from the leafy parts. Stack the leaves and slice crosswise into 1-inch strips. Cut off the tough base of each stem and discard. Chop the trimmed stems into 1/2-inch pieces.

Using a food processor, mince the onion, celery, parsley, and basil into a fine textured paste (pestata). Heat the oil in the saucepan over medium heat, scrape in the pestata and stir it all around the pan as it starts to steam and sizzle. Sprinkle in the peperoncino and cook, stirring, until the pestata has dried and starts to stick, 4 minutes or so. Drop in the tomato paste, and stir to toast it for a minute.

Pour in the water, raise the heat to high, and stir up all the cooked seasonings, while adding 2 teaspoons of salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Bring the water to the boil and dump in all of the cut chard leaves and chopped stems. Return to the boil, cover partially and cook at a steady simmer for about 40 minutes, until the chard is very tender and the broth is quite flavorful. Turn off the heat until you’re ready to serve.

For each portion, ladle about 1 1/3 cups of soup into the skillet. Heat to a simmer; crack and carefully slip into the soup one egg for each serving. Turn the heat down very low, cover the skillet tightly, and poach the eggs for 2 minutes or longer. Put a bread slice or croutons in each warm soup bowl, and when the eggs are done as you like them, lift them out, one at a time, with a slotted spoon or spatula, taking some cooked greens too. Lay the egg and greens on the bread and ladle in hot broth to cover. Sprinkle pecorino over the egg and broth, and serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table.

– See more at: http://www.lidiasitaly.com/recipes/detail/851#sthash.F17C3DBN.dpuf

Spanish Roasted Potato Salad, food52

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  • Food521pound pound small Potatoes (white or red)
  • 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 4 Cloves of Garlic finely chopped
  • 4 tablespoons Mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the potatoes in half or quarters into a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Mix and put on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake the potatoes for 40 minutes flipping twice during baking. Make sure they turn a nice golden brown. Take out of the oven and allow to cool. In a bowl combine 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the chopped garlic, mayonnaise, lemon juice and Dijon mustard. Mix and pour over the cooled potatoes.
  2. Serves 3-4

 

Fried Cauliflower Sandwich, food52

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  • 1/2 head cauliflower
  • 2 cups lacinato kale (or similar)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil (approximately)
  • Salt, to taste
  • 2 ciabatta rolls (or similar good, crusty white bread)
  • 2 tablespoons pickled banana pepper rings
  • 4 slices provolone cheese
  1. Trim the cauliflower, leaving the core intact, and cut into 1/4-inch slices (don’t worry if they don’t stay perfectly intact — as long as the have a relatively “flat” side they should brown up nicely). Set aside.
  2. Slice the kale into thin ribbons and peel and mince the garlic. Set aside.
  3. Pour enough oil in a heavy fry pan so that it completely coats the pan’s bottom and will slightly edge up the sides of the cauliflower pieces when you add them. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it’s very hot, add the cauliflower slices and let them sizzle, untouched, for 4 to 5 minutes (you may need to adjust heat so that they cook long enough to get brown and cook through). Flip the slices and cook them for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a plate and sprinkle with a little salt.
  4. Turn off the heat and add the kale and garlic to pan. Cook in the residual pan heat for a minute or two until the greens are wilted, then scrape onto a plate.
  5. Turn the oven broiler on. Split and toast the ciabatta rolls. Take the two bottom halves and layer on the fried cauliflower slices, then the greens, and lastly, the peppers. Top with 2 slices of cheese and broil in oven just until melted. Top with the other ciabatta halves and enjoy.
  6. Note: I highly recommend using a cast-iron skillet if you have one. If you don’t, they cost about $12 at your local hardware store. Otherwise, choose a very heavy pan so you get a nice crust on the cauliflower.  Makes 2 sandwiches

 

Cauliflower Patties from food52

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  • cauliflower1 large cauliflower (washed & trimmed into bite size pieces)
  • 3 to 4 shallots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 to 3 small garlic cloves (peeled and finely chopped)
  • 3 to 4 large organic eggs
  • Fresh italian flat leaf parsley
  • 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup grated Romano cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded low moisture mozzarella
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup (or more if needed) unbleached baking flour
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup (or more if needed) whole milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Light olive oil (for cooking
  • Place a large stockpot filled with water to boil on the stove top. Once it comes to a full boil, add the prepared cauliflower and cook until tender, but not too mushy. Drain and rinse with cold water, set aside to cool.
  • Saute the shallots and garlic in olive oil until soft and fragrant; do not brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Break the cooked cauliflower pieces down into very small pieces using your hands or a knife. The cauliflower needs to be solid enough to taste and create texture, but not so large as to not allow the patties to cook properly.
  • Add the eggs, cooked shallots and garlic to the bowl of cauliflower and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix this well and add some flour and milk to begin creating a batter-like consistency (start with 1/4 cup of each and add more as needed; adjust to get the desired consistency.)
  • Add the grated cheese, shredded mozzarella and chopped fresh parsley to the mix and blend well until combined. Again, test the thickness here and adjust accordingly adding flour and milk until you are satisfied.
  • NOTE: The mixture for these patties is a bit of trial and error as it needs to resemble a very thick pancake batter without being too dry or worse, too thin and runny.
  • Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium-high heat and add drizzle of the light olive oil and test the mixture by spooning a small pattie into the skillet and watch how it cooks and holds its shape.
  • Use your spatula to press and form the pattie in the skillet as it cooks to make sure it maintains shape and cooks through. Adjust your heat and resist the urge to flip too soon, allow the pattie to cook until light golden brown (about 3-4 minutes each side depending on your stove) before you flip them.
  • Continue forming and cooking the patties, adding more light olive oil as you go. Remove the cooked patties to a large flat platter to cool (do not overlap them until cooled.) Taste the first patties and adjust your salt and pepper seasoning for the remaining batter, if needed.
  • I love to serve these after letting them cool as they are much more flavorful at room temperature. These are the ideal hostess side dish (plan to make these during the upcoming holidays) that you can make ahead.
  • Store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator and simply deliver them to your host and let them come back to room temperature before serving.  Serves about 4 to 6

 

Rhonda’s Spaghetti with Fried Eggs and Pangritata for One from food52

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PangritFood52ata

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/3 cup fresh or stale coarse breadcrumbs
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
  • zest from half a lemon
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the breadcrumbs and sauté until golden and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  3. Add the rosemary, immediately remove from heat and allow to cool.
  4. Mix in lemon zest and set aside.

Spaghetti and Eggs

  • 4 ounces spaghetti
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 teaspoon small capers, drained
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente according to directions on box. (I usually undercook the pasta by about a minute.)
  2. Wipe out the skillet from the pangritata, add 1 T olive oil and 1 T butter and melt together over medium heat.
  3. Add the garlic and immediately break the eggs into the skillet.
  4. If need be, lower the heat a bit. You want the garlic to cook without burning and the egg whites to set, but the yolks to remain runny.
  5. Drain the pasta well, reserving ½ c of the cooking liquid.
  6. Add pasta back to the pot, pour over the eggs and all the fat from the skillet, add the parsley and capers and toss well, breaking up the eggs as you do. If you prefer a wetter dish, you can add in some of the reserved cooking liquid.
  7. Plate the pasta and eggs, season well with freshly ground black pepper, sprinkle with the grated cheese and then top with the pangritata.
  8. Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy!

 

Spaghettini with Mushrooms, Garlic and Oil, food and wine

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  • Spaghettini with Mushrooms, Garlic, and Oil 
    1/2 cup olive oil
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    1/8 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes (optional)
    2/3 pound mushrooms, sliced
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 pound spaghettini
    3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

    1. In a medium frying pan, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the garlic and the red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Add the sliced mushrooms and the salt and cook until the mushrooms exude liquid, the liquid evaporates, and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
    2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghettini until just done, about 9 minutes. Drain and toss with the mushroom mixture, the parsley, and the pepper.

    Spaghettini with Garlic and Oil Eliminate the mushrooms and reduce the oil to 7 tablespoons. Just cook the garlic and red-pepper flakes for a minute and toss with the remaining ingredients.

    Spaghettini with Walnuts, Garlic, and Oil Eliminate the mushrooms and reduce the olive oil to 7 tablespoons. At the end, toss in 2/3 cup of toasted and chopped walnuts.

     

Crispy Baked Pasta with Mushrooms, Sausage, and Parmesan Cream Sauce

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from serious eats

    • 1 cup Panko-style 20140930-past-mushroom-sausage-cast-iron-baked-41bread crumbs
    • 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
    • 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh chives
    • 2 small shallots, finely minced (about 1/2 cup)
    • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 8 ounces veggie sausage (mild or hot), removed from casings
    • 1 pound mixed mushrooms (such as portobello, shiitake, and oyster), cleaned and thinly sliced
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
    • 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups homemade or store-bought veggie stock
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 12 ounces fresh or 8 ounces dried ridged pasta such as rotini or campanelle

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and keep at a bare simmer. Combine bread crumbs, 2 ounces cheese, half of parsley, half of chives, 1/4 of shallots, and 1/4 of garlic in a medium bowl and massage with hands until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper

Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add sausage and cook, mashing it with a potato masher or a wooden spoon until broken up and well browned, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a small bowl, leaving fat behind.

Increase heat to high, add mushrooms to skillet, and cook, stirring frequently, until moisture has evaporated and mushrooms are well-browned, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add soy sauce and lemon juice and stir to combine.

Add flour and cook, stirring, until a thin film begins to form on the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in chicken broth followed by heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining grated cheese until melted. Stir in remaining parsley and chives. Stir in sausage. Season to taste with salt and lots of black pepper.

Adjust rack to 10 inches below broiler element and preheat broiler to high. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions, removing it when still just shy of al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Return to pot. Add mushroom mixture and stir to combine, adding liquid to adjust consistency. Pasta should be very loose but not soupy. Return to cast iron skillet and top with bread crumbs. Broil until golden brown, rotating pan as necessary, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.