Pasta with roast tomato and olive sauce -

Next recipe

Pasta with roast tomato and olive sauce

A sinfully delicious pasta recipe
4 serves

320-400g of pasta (a short-cut pasta is better)

1 kg of ripe tomatoes

1 cup of halved green and black olives

2 tablespoons of chopped capers

1 tablespoon of Modena vinegar

1 tablespoon of sugar

3 tablespoons of virgin olive oil

Method

Preparation time: 50 minutes

Peel and halve the tomatoes, and place in an oiled dish.

Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle over the sugar and capers. Drizzle with the oil and vinegar.

Roast in a pre-heated oven at 250C for around 20 or 30 minutes until well cooked. Remove the dish from the oven, cut up the tomatoes, add the olives and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and serve with the sauce.

Next recipe

Duck breast with olives

An easy dish with a special taste
2 serves

2 duck breasts

15 pitted Queen olives

6-8 shallots (or alternatively 3 onions)

1 glass of Muscatel wine

2 soupspoons of virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Method

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Score the skin of the duck breasts in a diamond pattern. Season with salt and pepper. Sear the duck breasts in oil in a frying pan, beginning with the skin side, until well browned. They should still be pink inside. Set aside.

Cut the olives into quarters. Peel and slice the shallots into strips. Cook the shallots in the same frying pan until they wilt, pour over the wine and add the olives.

Next recipe

Quick olive hummus

A stunning dip
3 serves

(3-1/2 cups) chickpeas, rinsed, drained and skins removed

½ cup tahini paste

½ cup water

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

3 tbsp white vinegar

3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the side of a knife

¾ tsp salt

⅓ cup chopped spanish black olives

¼ cup chopped spanish green olives

Method

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Place all the ingredients except for the olives in the bowl of your food processor. Process until smooth and creamy, about 4-5 minutes. Stop the motor to scrape the sides, as needed. Also, feel free to add more water, a few tablespoons at a time, until your hummus reaches the desired consistency.

Add the chopped olives and process on pulse until they are well incorporated; 5-6 short pulses should do the trick.

Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving; garnish with a splash of olive oil, more chopped olives and a pinch of chopped parsley at the moment of serving, if desired.

Next recipe

Spanish Manzanilla Olive Croquetas

Tradition meets elegance
2 serves

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for deep-frying

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole milk, heated

3 ounces Spanish Manzanilla olives, chopped

Salt

2 eggs

1 cup fine dried bread crumbs

Method

Preparation time: 60 minutes

Lightly oil a shallow 8-inch square dish.

In a saucepan, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the flour and, using a wooden spoon or whisk, mix well. Continue to stir or whisk for about 2 minutes, or until the flour is well blended.

Add 1/2 cup of the milk and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the remaining cup of milk. Cook, stirring constantly with the spoon or whisk, for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken. Decrease the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming, for about 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Add the olives, season lightly with salt (remember, the olives are already salty), and stir until evenly distributed. Cook for 1 minute longer and then pour the contents of the pan into the prepared dish. Spread the mixture evenly. Let cool down for a bit and then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight to allow the mixture to set.

Break the eggs into a bowl and beat lightly until blended. Spread the bread crumbs on a dinner plate. With 2 spoons, shape the béchamel-olive mixture into walnut-sized croquettes. Roll each croquette in the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess crumbs, and then dip into the beaten egg. Lift each croquette from the egg and roll it again in the bread crumbs, coating it evenly. Lay the croquettes in a single layer on a platter. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before frying.

Pour the olive oil to a depth of about 2 inches into a wide, deep, heavy pot and heat over high heat. When the oil is almost smoking, slip 5 or 6 croquettes into the oil, pressing on them gently with a slotted spoon to submerge them, and fry, turning them gently, for about 2 minutes, or until they are golden on all sides. Using the slotted spoon, lift out the croquettes, holding them briefly over the pot to allow the excess oil to drain, and transfer to an ovenproof platter lined with paper towels to drain further. Keep the croquettes warm in a low oven. Fry the rest of the croquettes in the same way, always making sure the oil is very hot before adding more croquettes.

When all the croquettes are fried, arrange on a platter and serve immediately.

Next recipe

Spanish Olive Empanada with Olive Crust

Turn anyone into an instant Mediterranean believer
4 serves

1 teaspoon dry active yeast

2/3 cup warm water

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup olive oil

1 egg, beaten

1 pinch saffron

3 1/2 all-purpose flour

1/4 cup minced Spanish black olives

Salt and pepper to taste

Salsa

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped fresh tomato 
2 cups chopped red bell pepper

3 cups chopped onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

5 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup Spanish black olives, chopped

1 cup Spanish Gordal olives, chopped

1 cup Spanish Manzanilla olives, chopped

1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika

2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar

Method

Preparation time: 60 minutes

For the Sofrito

In a large skillet, sauté onion in olive oil. Add red bell pepper after 10 minutes and continue to sauté. Add tomato and garlic and sauté until soft.  Cool mixture and then add Olives from Spain, paprika, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

For the Dough

Put yeast and warm water in a large bowl and stir to mix. When foamy, about 20 minutes, whisk in butter, oil, egg, saffron, minced Spanish black olives, and salt. Add flour and knead till smooth.  Cut in two and place in a greased bowl, covered, and then set aside.

Grease a rimmed baking sheet. Roll out half the dough and line the baking sheet, covering over the edges. Place cooled filling inside. Roll out remaining dough and cover top of empanada, crimping the sides. Wash with 1 egg over top and bake for 40 minutes at 350⁰.

Next recipe

Cherry tomato olives goat cheese

deliciously simple
2 serves

16-18 black olives

400 g of cherry tomatoes

200 g of mild goats cheese

Virgin olive oil

Salt

Black pepper

½ litres of water

Spring of basil

Method

Wash and halve the cherry tomatoes. Dice the cheese. Place in a salad bowl with the olives; season with salt-and-pepper.

Drizzle with oil and garnish with the chopped basil.