Cooking with Colavita for Labor Day
The Labor Day Holiday is a great time to plan an afternoon get together. Invite family and friends and have a party to bid an end to the summer in style. Be sure to stock on Colavita products and try these delicious recipes. They will help to make your gathering a memorable and sumptuous success!
Rice Balls Carb-onara
From Team Colavita, this is an interesting twist on rice balls and pasta carbonara!
Ingredients
- 1 cup short grain Colavita Arborio rice
- 2 eggs
- 4 oz. pancetta, sliced, or 4 strips thickly sliced bacon
- 1 tsp. Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup plain bread crumbs
Preparation
Cook the rice in a pot on the stovetop according to the instructions on the packaging. Add a pinch of salt to the rice as it cooks. While the rice is cooking, heat a non-stick skillet over a medium high flame. Add a teaspoon of Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil and cook the pancetta (or bacon) until crispy. Once finished, blot with paper towels. Chop the pancetta (or bacon) into tiny pieces; kitchen shears are ideal for this purpose, and place the pieces into a large bowl.
Crack two large eggs in a small bowl and whisk with a fork. Heat a small skillet, lightly oiled with Colavita Olive Oil, on the stovetop over a medium flame. Scramble the eggs, breaking them up into small bits.
Once the rice has finished cooking, add it to the bowl with the bacon and then add the scrambled eggs. Mix well to evenly distribute all the ingredients and form into rice balls of 1 ½” to 2” diameter. When the rice balls are formed, they can be rolled in bread crumbs to add additional texture and flavor. Serve warm
Farro Salad with Artichokes, Pine Nuts and Radicchio
Radicchio, fennel, cannellini beans, pine nuts and artichoke hearts make this salad hearty enough to be a main dish, making it ideal for picnics, or weekday lunches.
Ingredients
- 3 cups semi-pearled farro
- 1 tsp. coarse salt
- ½ cup plus 1 tbsp. Colavita Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/3 cup Colavita Aged Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
- ½ cup chopped black olives
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup Colavita Artichoke Hearts in EVOO
- 1 cup diced fennel (½” dices)
- 1 cup shredded radicchio
- 1 cup cooked cannellini beans
- 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Preparation
Rinse the farro under cold water and drain. Bring 7 cups of water to a boil in a 4-quart pot over high heat and add 3/4 teaspoon salt. Add the farro, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally. Add more boiling water, as necessary, to keep the farro covered until it becomes tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. Drain and rinse the farro with cold water to stop the cooking.
Transfer the farro to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Toss lightly to coat. Spread the farro on the baking sheet and cool completely at room temperature, or in the refrigerator.
Pour the vinegar into a small bowl and gradually whisk in the remaining ½ cup of olive oil to create a vinaigrette. Whisk in the lemon zest and black olives. Taste and season with salt, pepper and additional vinegar or olive oil as desired.
Put the cooked and cooled farro in a large serving bowl and toss to break up any clumps. Add the artichokes, fennel, radicchio, cannellini, pine nuts, basil and ½ cup vinaigrette. Toss and season as needed with more vinaigrette, salt and pepper. Serve or refrigerate for up to 1 day. If making ahead, let sit at room temperature, so it’s not refrigerator-cold and season with more vinaigrette, salt and pepper before serving.
Baby Peas Fusilli with Arugula and Avocado
This hearty, fresh, healthy and delicious pasta recipe combine’s bitter with buttery and sweet with salty, all tied together with Colavita’s organic fusilli pasta.
Ingredients
- 6 oz. arugula, divided
- juice and zest from 1 lemon
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled with the pit removed
- ½ cup shaved Parmigiano cheese
- 1 lb. Colavita Organic Fusilli
- 8 oz. fresh peas, divided
- ½ cup coarsely chopped, roasted and salted pistachio nuts
- ½ cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more as needed
- sea salt
Preparation
First, prepare the pesto. In the bowl of a food processor, combine 3 ounces of arugula, the avocado meat, 4 ounces of the fresh peas, 1/4 cup of the pistachios, ½ cup Colavita Olive Oil, lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Pulse until the mixture is smooth. It should have a very spreadable consistency, so add more Colavita Olive Oil if it seems dry.
Fill a large pasta pot with water and bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon sea salt and place the Colavita Organic Fusilli in the water. Cook just under al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water in the pot. Mix in 1 tablespoon of Colavita Olive Oil with the pasta so doesn’t stick together.
Return the pasta pot to the stove top over medium-low heat. Add in the peas and avocado pesto and sauté for about 3 minutes. Make sure that the fusilli is well coated with the pesto. Remove from the heat and mix in the remaining 3 ounces of fresh arugula and 4 ounces of fresh peas. Portion the pasta in four bowls. Garnish with lemon zest, Parmigiano shavings, the remaining chopped pistachios and serve.
Italian Chicken Tagine
For a sweet, salty and tangy dish all in one, try this delicious Italian Chicken Tagine recipe. It is packed with flavor from the tasty marinade, pancetta, lemon and other ingredients, making this an unforgettable dish.
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 2 cloves roasted garlic
- 3 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp. freshly chopped oregano
- 1/3 cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- a few grinds of black pepper
For the chicken
- 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- 1/4 thick cut pancetta, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp. chopped lemon
- 1/4 cup Colavita Pinot Grigio
- ½ cup Rachael Ray Low Sodium Chicken Stock
- ½ cup Colavita Crushed Tomatoes
- ½ cup Colavita Bella di Cerignola Olives
For the garnish
- lemon zest, fresh parsley, oregano, dusting of smoked paprika, freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Combine all the marinade ingredients in a blender and purée. Rinse the chicken in cold water and pat dry. Place the chicken in a re-sealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade into the bag along with the chicken. Seal the bag, making sure to coat the chicken thighs evenly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium low. Add the chopped pancetta and allow it to brown, about 8 minutes. Chop the lemons and once the pancetta is browned, toss them in for a moment to toast with the pancetta. Remove the lemon and pancetta mixture from the skillet and reserve it in a dish. Do not rinse the skillet, you will use the pancetta fat to sear the chicken.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Reserve the remaining marinade. Increase the heat to medium and place the chicken thighs, skin side down onto the skillet. Allow them to brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Once they have browned, remove them from the skillet and place them in a dish.
Reduce the heat to low and add the Colavita Pinot Grigio. Using a wooden spoon, deglaze the bottom of the skillet. Add the rest of the marinade, chicken stock and the Cirio Crushed Tomatoes. Stir to incorporate.
Add the chicken back into the skillet, increase the heat to medium-low and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet with a lid and allow it to simmer for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Add the green olives and the pancetta/lemon mixture back to the skillet. Allow it to cook for another 10-15 minutes. Serve with more freshly chopped herbs, a sprinkle of smoked paprika and some freshly ground black pepper.
Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner
This sheet pan salmon dinner is both incredibly easy and incredibly flavorful! It is a great dinner offering.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. salmon fillet
- 1 small bunch carrots, cut into fries
- 1 small broccoli head, cut into florets
- 2 tbsp. Colavita Olive Oil
- ½ orange, cut into thin slices
- salt and pepper
For the marinade
- ½ cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 3 tbsp. Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. red chili flakes
- ½ tsp. ancho chili powder
- Salt and fresh cracked pepper
Garnish
- 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves
Preparation
Preheat an oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. Whisk together all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
Place carrots and broccoli in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Stir in 2 tablespoons of Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste; mix well.
Make some space in the center of the pan for the salmon. Pour the marinade over the fish. Place the orange slices over the top of the fish. Bake until salmon flakes easily with a fork and the broccoli begin to crisp up on the edges and have softened, about 20 minutes. Serve the baked salmon garnished with cilantro.
Olive Oil Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
You read it right! No butter is used in these Olive Oil Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches; just the flavorful and healthy goodness of Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1½ cup rolled oats
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ cup. Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 ½ oz. Perugina Bittersweet Chocolate Bar, chopped into small chunks
- 1 pint of your favorite gelato, or ice cream
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, then mix in the rolled oats. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the olive oil, brown sugar, egg and vanilla; beat until well-combined and smooth.
Add the flour mixture and beat until well-incorporated. Toss in the chopped chocolate chunks and beat for a few seconds until just combined.
Using cold water, with a slightly wet hand, form 1½” balls of dough and place about 3” apart on the baking sheet. With a wet palm press each ball and flatten to about 2 ½” diameter. Bake for 13-15 minutes until lightly browned. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
To assemble cookies, scoop a ball of your favorite gelato onto the bottom side of a cookie and top with another cookie. Press together gently to form a sandwich. Work quickly to assemble the remaining sandwiches placing them on a tray. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve.
Cannoli Cookies
These cannoli cookies are Colavita’s fun, bite-sized approach to the classic Italian pastry.
Ingredients
- ½ cup Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. fresh orange zest
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 10 oz. bag mini chocolate chips, divided
- 1 cup chopped pistachios
For the garnish
- 3 oz. dark chocolate, melted
- ½ cup crushed pistachios
Preparation
In a large mixing bowl, mix the olive oil and sugar together using an electric mixer until combined. Mix in the eggs, then then the ricotta cheese until well combined. Mix in the vanilla extract, cinnamon and fresh orange zest.
Next, mix in the baking powder, baking soda and salt until well-combined, then mix in the flour. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips and the pistachios. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least one hour.
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, or lightly grease. Using a medium cookie scoop or spoon, drop about 1 ½ tablespoons of cookie dough for each cookie leaving about 2 inches between. Bake the cookies for 8-11 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove onto wire racks to cool completely. To garnish, dip one half of a cookie into the melted chocolate and then press the dipped side into the crushed pistachios. Place on a piece of parchment paper to dry.
