Not an olive fan? Olives are high in vitamin E and other powerful antioxidants. The healthy fat in olive is extracted to produce olive oil which is one of the key components to a healthy Mediterranean diet. Incorporating olives in your meals has a lot of health benefits. We at Nature’s Basket have brought you impeccable olive dishes that will make you fall in love with it!
- Green Olive Pasta
Ingredients:
- 1 pound dried bucatini or other long pasta (such as spaghetti or linguine)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups olives
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 1 medium lemon
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt
- Shaved Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, for serving
Instructions:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
- Add the pasta and cook 1 minute less than al dente, or 8 minutes
- Meanwhile, heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat
- Add the olives and garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta
- Return the skillet to medium heat and add the pasta and the reserved pasta water
- Simmer, tossing and stirring the pasta until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta
- Add the parsley and a few generous grinds of black pepper and toss to combine
- Taste and season with more pepper and salt as needed (since the olives are already salty, you might not need to add any salt)
- Divide among shallow bowls, top with shaved parmesan cheese if desired, and serve.
2. Olive Bread
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup pitted, chopped Kalamata olives
Instructions:
- Combine the flour, salt, olive oil and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use a spatula to roughly combine the ingredients. Let rest for 15 minutes to activate the yeast
- Fold in the olives. Attach the dough hook and knead on medium for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in a bit more flour as needed if the dough won’t release from the sides of the bowl
- Transfer the kneaded dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 60 minutes in a warm place
- Punch the dough down, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use your hands to shape it into a loaf. Allow to rise for another 60 minutes
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and place a second baking sheet on the bottom rack. Dust the loaf with flour and use a serrated knife to make three shallow cuts across the top
- Place the baking sheet containing the dough on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Toss a half cup of water onto the hot baking sheet on the bottom rack and close the door. Bake for 30 minutes
- Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
3. Olive Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 cup chopped black and green olives
- ½ cup roasted red peppers
- ¼ cup red onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp of chopped parsley
- ¼ cup of olive oil
- 3 tbsp of vinegar
- 1 tsp of oregano powder
- ½ tsp of dried basil leaves
- ¼ tsp of black pepper
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients together and toss until well combined
2. Season with salt and pepper and serve!
Did these recipes make you love olive? check out 5 Benefits of Eating Olive