The popular potato omelette, also known as Spanish Omelette, is found in all parts of Spain. This one comes from the Vano family who grow olives on their estate in the Sierra Magina region of Jaen. This version uses their excellent Dominus brand with its herbaceously fruity tones and light bitterness. It makes an eminently satisfying dish.
Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 medium onion
750 g potatoes
350 ml Dominus extra virgin olive oil
salt

Method

Thinly slice the onion. Peel the potatoes, wash and finely slice them, drying them in a cloth.
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and when it starts to smoke, take it off the heat and put in the onion. Cook the onion until it starts to take colour, then add the potatoes, covering them and frying them on a medium flame, slowly, until they are soft. Do not let them get crisp. Stir occasionally.
When the potatoes are ready, place the onion and potato mixture in a colander to drain off the excess oil. Sprinkle with a little salt.
Lightly beat the eggs, just enough to mix the yolks and whites. Add a little salt. Add the potatoes to the beaten eggs, stirring with a fork to ensure that they mix properly.
Heat a little cold oil (just enough to cover the bottom of the frying pan) and pour in the mixture of potatoes and eggs. Form the omelette, and move the frying pan and/or lift omelette with a spatula to prevent it from sticking.
When the underside of the omelette is browned, invert a plate over the top of the frying pan (or use another type of cover larger than the pan), holding it firmly onto the pan while inverting the pan in order to
flip the omelette.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, then slide the omelette back in to cook the other side. The omelette should be slightly runny on the inside and nicely browned on the outside. Place on a large plate and serve.

FRUITY CHEESE PARCELS

Olive oil is an excellent fat to use to crisp up filo pastry parcels. You can brush it on with a pastry brush both before you fill the parcels and after the are shaped and ready to go in the oven. Use a delicately flavoured oil such as Dauro L’Emporda from Catalonia or a Taggiasca oil from Liguria. Any kind of soft rind cheese can be used for these crispy filo pastry parcels, but a small log-shaped goat's cheese is the most convenient. I used St. Maure. Add your favourite fruit chutney - the spicier the better.
Serve with stir-fried mangetout to make an elegant main course.

Ingredients
2 St Maure or other small log-shaped goat's cheeses
12 squares of filo pastry
4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 teaspoons well flavoured fruit chutney

Method
Set the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and cut each cheese into six thick slices.
Brush each sheet of filo pastry with a little olive oil and fold in half. Brush and fold again to give small four-layered squares.
Place a piece of cheese in the centre of each square and top with a spoonful of chutney.
Gather the corners of the pastry together over the cheese and pinch together with a little water. Place on a baking tray. Continue making parcels until you have completed all 12. Brush all over with a little more olive oil.
Place the baking tray in the heated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until crisp and golden in colour.

APPLE CAKE

This lovely cakecake comes from Bev Manson in New Zealand’s South Island. She uses fresh apples and Olivenz extra virgin olive oil which is pressed from olives from the Manson’s farm along with those from a number of other partners in the region. There are three oils in the Olivenz range and the Grove Blend is the sweetest of the three and probably the best to use for this recipe. Keep the cake for a few days before eating as its flavours develop and improve. If you like a fruity apple cake substitute the same quantity of sultanas, pre-soaked in brandy or water, for the almonds.

Ingredients
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cut icing sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain flour
1 cup wholemeal flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 or 4 apples, peeled and grated
grated rind of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons apple glaze
¾ cup slivered almonds

Method

Preheat the oven to 180c/350F, grease and flour a 23cm spring-form cake tin.
Combine the extra virgin olive oil, and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until the mixture is the consistency of mayonnaise.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon and salt. Fold this flour mixture into the creamy mixture. Add the apples, apple glaze and lemon, fold in the almonds and mix well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for at least 60 minutes. Test with a knife before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.