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Judy Ridgway


October 2015:

DOLCELATTE AND OLIVE CROSTINI

These crostini are really fast to make and very versatile to serve. They make good finger food for a party or they can be served on a rocket salad drizzled with extra virgin olive oil to make a smart first course.

Ingredients:

  • 8 slices of white bread
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 75g dolcelatte cheese
  • 50g ricotta cheese
  • 8 pimento stuffed olives, finely chopped
  • 6 dates, stoned and finely chopped
  • 2cm cucumber, sliced and very finely chopped
  • ½ stick celery, very finely chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Sprigs of dill to garnish

Method

  1. Start by making the crostini bases.
  2. Cut small rounds out of the slices of white bread, using a pastry cutter or glass.
  3. Fry on both sides in olive oil crisp until crisp and golden in colour.
  4. Drain on kitchen paper and leave to cool.
  5. To make the topping, mix the two cheeses in a bowl with a fork and gradually all the finely chopped ingredients.
  6. Season to taste and spread onto the prepared crostini.
  7. Garnish each one with a sprig of dill.

ANCHOVY AND CARAMELISED ONION AND RADICCHIO BRUSCHETTA

This, too, makes excellent finger food or a good snack. It comes from The Olive Oil Cookbook by my good friend Louise Pickford who prepared it last time I was at her home in southern France.

Ingredients:

  • 15m extra virgin olive oil
  • 15g butter
  • 4 small red onions, cut into wedges
  • 1 dessertspoon chopped rosemary
  • 1 dessertspoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 4 thick slices Italian or French bead
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1½ tablespoon Anchoiade anchovy paste
  • 1 head radicchio
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Method:

  1. Start by heating the oil and butter in a frying pan.Fry the onions for 5 minutes.
  2. Cover and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes until caramelized.
  3. Add the rosemary, sugar and vinegar and cook for another 5 minutes. Keep warm.
  4. To make the bruschetta base, toast the bread on both sides and while still hot rub with the cloves of garlic and then spread with the anchovy paste. Keep warm.
  5. Cut the radicchio lengthways into 4 slices, brush with oil and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly charred.
  6. Arrange the radicchio on the bruschetta and top with the caramelized onion.
  7. Drizzle with a little more extra virgin olive oil and serve at once.

AVOCADO AND PINENUT CROSTINI

This recipe from California completes my trio of finger food for October. This too can be served as a snack or starter.

Ingredients:

  • 1 French or ciabatta loaf
  • 1 whole clove garlic, peeled
  • 2 large avocados, peeled and stoned
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 50g toasted pinenuts, roughly chopped
  • 4 tablespoons freshly chopped coriander
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 large continental tomatoes, sliced thickly
  • 2 tablespoons Californian or Tuscan extra virgin olive oil

Method:

  1. Slice the ciabatta loaf in half lengthways through the centre and open out.
  2. Cut each large flat slice in six pieces.
  3. Toast the pieces of bread on each side and rub with the clove of garlic.
  4. Finely dice the avocado and mix with the lemon juice to prevent any discolouring.
  5. Carefully mix in the toasted pinenuts, coriander and seasoning.
  6. Arrange the tomato slices on the toasted ciabatta, season and drizzle with olive oil.
  7. Grill for a further 2-3 minutes.
  8. Top with avocado mixture, drizzle with more olive oil and serve at once

If you are interested in more recipes using extra virgin olive oil see “REMARKABLE RECIPES from the people who really know about extra virgin olive oil – the producers” at iTunes



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