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Burrata Cheese with Fried Sage and Anchovy Oil

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Burrata with fried sage and anchovy oil

Burrata with fried sage and anchovy oil

It’s summer. The beginning of warm days and nights, lingering afternoons, and patio evenings filled with food, fun, and friends. We long for these nights all year as they bring some of our best memories and fondest times.

So often during the summer, my favorite thing is to create an array of Italian appetizers accompanied with delicious wines and hours of endless conversation. With this as a favorite pastime, I am always looking for bites of deliciousness which can be completed ahead of the fray yet taste like they were just prepared.

When I am looking for inspiration for recipes, I frequently end up pulling from my memory bank of travel experiences. One very fond memory for us both was during a stay in the Tuscan countryside in an Agriturismo. For those of you who might not be familiar, Agriturismo’s are working farms where you can stay for both room and meals. If you haven’t experienced one, I highly suggest the venture. Quaint, rustic, and unique, nothing quite matches the sensation of being woken up to both the sounds of the farm roosters cackling accompanied by the divine smells of the bake goods nestled inside the womb of the wood fire oven preparing themselves for breakfast enjoyment.   It is truly a morning dance for one’s sensory pleasures.

One particular morning, we were gladly awakened by the enticing smells of the kitchen below. We quickly gathered ourselves together in hopes we aren’t too late (or early) for the pleasures we fantasized as we awoke from our slumber. We were careful to lightly tread over the old wood floor covered with footprints of the memories made before us and over to the nostalgic moka pot where countless others have too enjoyed a pot of the liquid gold finishing brewing and awaiting our enjoyment.

Nestling up in the corner table against the rough stone walls of the farmhouse, we sipped our coffee and gazed over the fields being hugged by the morning dew. As we got lost in a gaze of the Tuscan hillside, Gabriella (the owner and chef) quietly slipped a gorgeous tray of fresh figs, homemade burrata cheese, and fresh bread topped with glistening fresh olive oil, zested lemon, and then carefully wrapped amongst a wreath of fresh sage leaves. I didn’t believe anything could have broken my day dreaming stare but the enticing aromas of the farmhouse bread and the warmth of the newly made cheese rising from our table was too alluring to ignore. My head quickly shifted to the food painting in front of me, balanced by color, texture and flavor, it was almost too gorgeous to eat…..almost.

As I took the small, antique ceramic plate and arranged the bread, cheese, and fruit in the same thoughtful manner as Gabriella, I thought carefully about how best to honor this masterpiece. As I contemplated the layers of flavors I was about to experience, I wondered if it would satisfy the anticipation I was building inside my fantasy.

As I sank my teeth into the soft texture of both the bread and the cheese, the warmth of both filled my mouth while the intensity of the fresh olive oil coated my taste buds and the fresh lemon lingered slightly behind.

As I slowly chewed, I marveled at how beautifully satisflying four ingredients could be and how this melody worked so graciously together and I contemplated the age-old question, could it really be this simple to create the perfect, culinary bite? The answer was simple and quick……..yes.

Burrata with fried sage and anchovy oil

Burrata Cheese with Fried Sage and Anchovy Oil
 
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Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1 tub of burrata cheese (can use fresh mozzarella)
  • 12 sage leaves
  • 2-3 T anchovy paste
  • 5-6 T olive oil
  • 1-2 T white balsamic vinegar
  • 9-10 kalamata olives
  • salt and pepper
  • crostini for serving
Instructions
  1. In a small skillet, heat olive oil. Add anchovy paste and whisk to incorporate. Add sage leaves and lightly fry. Take off the heat and stir in white balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. On a platter, break open the burrata balls. Arrange kalamata olives and pour anchovy oil and sage over cheese. Serve immediately with crostini or crackers

 

 

 

Endive and Prosciutto Spears

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Sometimes we need easy….elegant AND yummy but EASY and this appetizer of endive, prosciutto, and parmigiano-reggiano cheese drizzled with a delicious truffle oil is just that……especially the deliciousness part!

Endive Prosciutto Appetizer|Eatentions

When I think of warm summer nights and long casual evenings on the patio with family and friends, lots of appetizers always come to mind. They go with the flow of the evening and allow everyone to graze and enjoy while sipping a beautiful glass of wine and drinking in the moment.

We do a lot of entertaining during this time of year and so with the appetizer theme comes the need for having easy and universal dishes so I can join my guests in savoring the magic of the evening.

Endive Prosciutto Appetizer|Eatentions

This appetizer was inspired from a Tuscan Farmhouse we stayed at back in 2012. The owner/chef was treating us to a special tasting of her favorite Tuscan vintage and brought out truffle-oil rubbed crostini, fresh cut prosciutto and local pecorino cheese. Somehow that moment brought together the perfect pairing of a bite of food and a taste of wine. Since that moment, I felt the need to recreate it…..both literally and in my dreams, I hope you enjoy.

Endive and Prosciutto Spears
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 3 Heads of Endive, Spears Only
  • 12 Slices of Prosciutto, Halved
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano, Shaved
  • Good Quality Truffle Oil
  • Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
  1. On a platter, arrange endive spears, arrange prosciutto over spears and add desired amount of shaved parmigiano-reggiano. Drizzle a nice amount of truffle oil and a little cracked black pepper.
  2. Serve immediately with a delicious wine!

Endive Prosciutto Appetizer|Eatentions

 

 

 

 

 

Homemade Fettuccine with Brown Butter and Sage

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Fettuccine with Butter and Sage

Fettuccine with Butter and Sage

Fettuccine with Butter and Sage

Fettuccine with Butter and Sage

It’s November, it is really November; clocks even went back so we know we are full on now….only 20 days till Turkey time and the gorging bliss of the holidays begin!

I don’t know why but all this has taken me by surprise. BUT (always gotta jump into the positive aspect) after my post about duck breasts last week and all the comfy food talk, I’m ready to keep embracing the fall flavor profile and post one of my absolute favorite pasta recipes…..fettuccine with butter and sage! If I want it to sound REALLY yummy (and a little sexier) I would say fettuccine con burro e salvia (because everything sounds better in Italian)!

Okay enough with the Italian lesson as we have fettuccine con burro e salvia to talk about! Yep, essentially, flour, egg, butter, sage, parmigiano. Would you ever think that 5 ingredients could create SUCH MAGIC? Well they do and with ALL the pasta I have had over the years with ALL the different sauces, this one reigns at the top. It is perfect (of course it’s perfect, it’s pasta) but seriously, in my little world it’s perfect.

For me, the key to this recipe is to brown the butter and grow your own sage. I know, maybe the growing sage is a stretch but if you have ANY urge to be a little farmer like myself, growing herbs is an awesome starting point.

Why brown the butter? Well, the nutty flavor infuses into the pasta with the sage and the combination is INCREDIBLE, I mean INCREDIBLE! Just be careful not to overbrown because it can get a “burnt” flavor. What I do is to just get it to a “light” brown color and pull it off the burner. Then while the pasta is cooking for a couple minutes in the pot (cuz I like fresh pasta) I put the butter back on to brown up some more and add fresh sage leaves. If you leave them whole, they make a really pretty statement. Remember sage is a strong herb so use on the lighter side. (If you don’t want to make your own pasta, of course fresh pasta from the store works as does dried).

The last KEY step with this (or any pasta dish) is to put the semi-cooked pasta in the saucepan with the butter (or sauce) and let it finish cooking with the sauce (always add a little pasta water to help bind together).

I made this dish for my sister’s birthday dinner last week and served it out of roasted butternut squash bowls. After filling these cute bowls (which when pulled out of the oven are an ingenious way to keep the pasta nice and warm), I just sprinkled the top of the pasta with parmigiano cheese and a hunk of dense, artisanal bread with butter. I presented them to the table and time stopped, it was perfection.

Homemade Fettuccine with Brown Butter and Sage
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • Fresh Egg Pasta:
  • 4 cups all purpose flour or caputo semolina flour (found on amazon)
  • 4 -5 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • water as needed
  • 2 sticks of butter
  • Handful of sage
  • Parmigiano cheese
Instructions
  1. To Make Fresh Pasta:
  2. Make a mound of the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board or in a bowl, whichever is more comfortable to you. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs and salt. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and begin to incorporate the flour starting with the inner rim of the well. As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up to retain the well shape. Do not worry that this initial phase looks messy. The dough will come together when ½ of the flour is incorporated. If using a bowl, turn out onto a wooden cutting board now and start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands primarily. Once you have a dough ball, remove its rom the board and scrape up any left over crusty bits. Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 3 more minutes. If dry, add 1 T of water at a time and incorporate. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Continue to knead for another 3 minutes, remembering to dust your board when necessary. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Note: do not skip the kneading or resting portion of this recipe, they are essential for a light pasta.
  3. To cut pasta:
  4. With a hand crank machine or kitchen aide attachment start with setting 1. Cut off ¼ of the ball and flatten out. Dust with flour as to not let it stick while passing through machine (you may have to do this periodically). Pass through once and then fold in thirds, turn and pass again. Do this 2 more times and then pass it straight through an additional 2 times. Put on setting 2 and pass through twice. Repeat with setting 3 and 4. When you get to setting 5, put through once and set sheet aside and repeat with remaining dough.
  5. Put sheets through fettuccine cutter and put onto a floured cookie sheet. Toss to keep strands separate. Do this periodically while drying and add a little flour each time if necessary.
  6. To make brown butter sauce:
  7. In a large sauce pan, place butter. On medium heat cook until a slightly brown color begins. Remove until ready to cook pasta. While pasta is cooking partially (1-2 min), return to heat and add sage. Watch as to not over brown.
  8. To boil:
  9. In a large dutch oven, fill three-quarters of the way full with water and put in salt (salty as the sea). Bring to a boil and add pasta. Cook 1-2 minutes and drain (reserving 2 cups of water) and put immediately into browned butter to finish cooking, about 1-2 minutes more. Serve immediately topped with parmigiano cheese and more to pass at table.

Fettuccine with Butter and Sage

Fettuccine with Butter and Sage

Olive Oil Ricotta Cake with Plums

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Olive Oil Ricotta Cake with Plums 7

Olive Oil Ricotta Cake with Plums 5

I am a TOTAL sucker for Italian desserts, TOTAL. Well, a sucker for anything Italian really but since I am not a HUGE sugar girl, the desserts the Italians feast on to me are a perfect balance of cake, sugar, fruit, and indulgence…

I stumbled across this olive oil ricotta cake with plums from smitten kitchen during fruit harvest. I was getting totally burnt out of canning “another version of plum or peach butter” and was seriously looking for a small butter knife to put me out of my misery…..honestly it was pretty bad about day 20. I mean after 150 jars of fruit butter you are spent, trust me, SPENT.

I decided to hit the Internet and not the knife drawer to get some creative ideas on desserts for during the winter. I wanted something I could pull out of the freezer and have fresh and delicious sweet fruit from the fall harvest. This criterion doesn’t leave a ton of options so when I found this cake recipe, I was totally STOKED! It was perfect. I love ricotta, olive oil, and cake! Now I had the option to change up the fruit on top or mix some into the batter or whatever, I just knew me and my sweet tooth would be jazzed come December.

This olive oil ricotta cake is the happiest of both sides of the dessert fence. It satisfies the sweet tooth AND I don’t feel as guilty because it isn’t drudged in frosting and 3 layers tall. (Although the whip cream I usually make could become an argument), but nonetheless, it still feels a bit “guiltless” than some of others…

If you are finding yourself canning and looking for a butter knife, make this cake. If you find yourself feeling guilty just remember, who cares it’s LA DOLCE VITA…isn’t that Italian way….now go and enjoy and put down the butter knife.

Olive Oil Ricotta Cake with Plums
 
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Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • Butter for pan
  • 1 cup fresh, full-fat ricotta
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 9-10 small plums, halved, pitted, and set aside (I used fresh Italian Plums but any type would work)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
  • Confectioner's sugar, for dusting
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350° F, and butter and flour a 9-inch springform.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine and whisk the ricotta, oil, sugar, and zest together.
  3. Add one egg, whisk well; add the next, whisk again.
  4. Sift all of the dry ingredients, except for the confectioner's sugar, directly over the wet ingredients you just whisked together. Mix with a spoon gently until just combined.
  5. Pour the batter into the cake pan, spreading it out evenly as needed. If your plums are very tart, toss them with a tablespoon of sugar or honey, and place them in the top of the cake, cut-side down. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, the edges are pulling away from the pan, and a toothpick comes out of the cake cleanly. (Depending on your oven, this could take up to 45 minutes.) Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then turn out to finish cooling on a rack. Dust with confectioner's sugar, and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. This cake is awesome with whipped cream!

Olive Oil Ricotta Cake with Plums 4