Spaghetti alla Carbonara

An Italian Classic

2 large eggs
.5 c freshly grated parmesan cheese
.33 c Spicy Olive Tuscan Herb EVOO
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 fresh red chilies
.25 lb. pancetta, chopped
1 lb. spaghetti

Combine the eggs and parmesan and whisk until smooth. Combine the oil, garlic, chilies and pancetta in a frying pan and cook over low heat until most of the fat is released. Keep the garlic at a very pale color. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted, boiling water until al dente. Drain and turn the pasta into a heated bowl. Remove the chilies from the frying pan and pour the hot contents of the pan over the pasta. Then add the eggs and cheese. Add some of the pasta cooking water if necessary to moisten. Toss well and serve immediately.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Why buy from the store when you can make your own? With garden-fresh produce and delicious olive oils, this homemade tomato sauce has much more zip.

 3 tbsp. Tuscan Herb Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Red Onion, cut into .25-inch cubes
4 large cloves of garlic, cubed
1.5 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 celery stalk, cut into pea-sized cubes
2-3 ripe tomatoes, diced

Combine the oil and onion in a large pot and cook over moderate heat until the onion begins to turn brown. We recommend the Tuscan Herb EVOO, but any of our single-varietal olive oils would work as well as the Basil, Garlic, or other flavored EVOOs. Add the garlic, rosemary and celery. Cook for another 5 minutes, until the celery is soft.

Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for about 30 minutes, until it thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

This sauce can easily be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for 6 months. It’s a great way to preserve a summer harvest from the backyard garden!

Bavette con asparagi e mollica

1 c. fluffy breadcrumbs
2 bunches asparagus
.75 lb. bavette (or any long pasta)
.33 c. The Spicy Olive Milanese Gremolata EVOO
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
.25 c flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon, freshly squeezed

To crisp the breadcrumbs, toss into a a dry frying pan on medium heat and stir until crisp and golden. Set aside.

Snap the bottoms off the asparagus and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook asparagus for about 3 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender.

Bring the water back to a boil and cook pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile, combine the oil, garlic and parley in a pan. Cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant. Stir frequently and add in the asparagus. Continue stirring until the asparagus pieces are well coated.

When the pasta is al dente, add it to the pan with the asparagus, garlic and parsley. Add the lemon juice and just enough water to moisten. Turn the heat up to high and toss the ingredients for another minute. Serve with breadcrumbs scattered on top.

Pesto Pasta Soup

A delicious soup to warm up with this winter

Soup
3 tablespoons The Spicy Olive Tuscan Herb Olive Oil
1/2 cup finely chopped pancetta
4 cloves garlic
1 medium ripe tomato, peeled and chopped
1/2 lb. pound linguini

To make the soup, combine the oil, meat and garlic in a pan. Sauté over medium heat until the fat is running but the garlic hasn’t browned. Stir in tomato and six cups of water. Bring the soup to a boil

Pesto
1.5 c basil leaves
1 clove garlic, chopped coarse
.25 c. The Spicy Olive Tuscan Herb Olive Oil
1.5 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1.5 tbsp. freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

To make the pesto, rinse the basil leaves and dry thoroughly. Combine the basil and garlic in a food processor and add 1.5 tablespoons of the oil. Pulse until a slightly chunky sauce forms, adding the rest of the oil. Spoon into a bowl, stir in the cheeses and season with salt. Float a spoonful more of the olive oil on top of the pesto until it is ready to use.

To finish the soup, stir in the linguini while it is boiling and cook until al dente. Remove from the heat, stir in the pesto and serve immediately.

You can make pesto like this ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for weeks. Save the cheese to add immediately before serving, however.

Linguine with Asparagus and Shrimp

1 lb. fresh linguine pasta
1 lb. fresh thin asparagus, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup Milanese Gremolata Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lb. medium fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 shallot, sliced thin
.5 c dry white wine

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the package directions. Meanwhile, heat the Milanese Gremolata olive oil in a large skillet.

Sauté the asparagus  for 5 until tender.  Add shrimp, shallot and dry white wine. Increase the heat and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until all is cooked. Toss with the pasta or just top the pasta and serve with freshly ground pepper.

Pasta Salad di Sicily

1 lb. dried penne or orecchiette pasta
3 tbsp. Oregano Balsamic Vinegar
.25 c Tuscan Herb olive oil
1 pint mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium head radicchio, cored, shredded
1 c. mixed pitted Kalamata olives
1 c. crumbled Ricotta Salata cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil then add the pasta and cook according to directions. While the pasta is cooking, mix the EVOO and vinegar together. Then add the rest of the ingredients and toss until coated. Drain the pasta and mix in with the other ingredients into a serving bowl. Season with sea salt and fresh black pepper.

Cheesy Tortelloni with Sauteed Vegetables

1 garlic clove chopped
3/4 lb.  cremini mushrooms, sliced thick
1 lb. mixed summer squash (zucchini and yellow squash), quartered
1/4 cup Wild Mushroom and Sage Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lb. fresh or frozen cheese tortelloni
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 tbsp snipped chives

Bring a large pot of water to boil (drizzle a few drops of olive oil into it to keep pasta from sticking). Heat the Wild Mushroom and Sage Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a deep skillet. Sauté the vegetables and mushrooms over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Toss the pasta in with the mushrooms and vegetables, then sprinkle with chives and Parmesan.

A Spicy Olive Christmas

We hope you had a very Merry Christmas with your friends and family! And we can’t wait to hear about the ways you used our products to spice up your favorite foods this holiday. Here’s some of what we had…





For the salad, we used Persian Lime Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Pomegranate Quince White Balsamic Vinegar to dress baby field greens topped with feta cheese and pomegranate seeds.




For the main course, we made beef tenderloin, potatoes, and asparagus. The beef tenderloin was marinated with Tuscan Herb and Garlic extra virgin olive oils and rubbed with Bologna  Seasonella Salt Mix. Then it was cooked in the oven at 425F until it reached an internal temperature of 150F.

The potatoes were cubed and sprinkled with 1/4c Tuscan Herb Olive Oil and the Seasonella Sea Salt Blend. After placing the potatoes in the oven for 40 minutes at 425F, they come out browned and with a touch of crispiness.

Finally, the asparagus was coated in Garlic olive oil, sea salt and pepper and roasted in the oven.





This whole meal just needs the Tuscan Herb extra virgin olive oil, Seasonella sea salt blend as well as the Persian Lime extra virgin olive oil and Pomegranate Quince balsamic vinegar for the salad dressing. It was festive and delightful!

Coconut

Flavor: Rich, creamy, fresh coconut


Complements: Salad, fruit, soup, vegetables, seafood, chicken, pork


Oil Pairings: Garlic, Harissa, Persian Lime, Herbs de Provence, Roasted Sesame Oil


Ideas:



  1. Sauté shrimp in Persian Lime EVOO, finish with a drizzle of Coconut Balsamic Vinegar
  2. Combine with Persian Lime EVOO and use as coleslaw dressing
  3. Caramelize baby carrots in a sauté pan
  4. Combine with Garlic EVOO for a great Thai flavor
  5. Combine with Herbs de Provence EVOO for salad dressing
  6. Drizzle over any lobster dish
  7. Splash in Mimosa

Cinnamon Pear

Flavor: Sweet, rich, cinnamon with the hint of pears


Complements: Salad, fruit, dessert, pork, oatmeal


Oil Pairings: Blood Orange, Butter, Chipotle, Frantoio, Garlic, Harissa, Lemon, Persian Lime, Wild Mushroom & Sage, Roasted Sesame Oil


Ideas:



  1. Combine with Blood Orange or Persian Lime EVOO for a salad dressing on spinach or arugula salad, then add fresh strawberries, Roasted French Walnut Oil, mandarin orange slices and feta cheese; or caramelize pears or apples and substitute goat cheese for feta
  2. Drizzle on yogurt, on ice cream, or over apple crisp
  3. Use as a glaze on grilled salmon or on ham
  4. Marinate with Garlic EVOO for sweet and savory chicken
  5. Drizzle over fresh pears for a great after-school snack!