Baking with Olive Oil

It’s taken a long time for us to break with American tradition and use olive oil instead of butter for baking. Now, everywhere we turn, we discover a new olive oil cake recipe, almost always flavored with citrus. Sometimes it includes ginger, or almonds, pistachios or even “drunken grapes.” However, the Italians have been making olive oil cakes for centuries. One medieval Tuscan recipe calls for chestnut flour, pine nuts and rosemary - though no leavening - so it is quite a dense, earthy-looking cake.

There are advantages to using olive oil instead of butter in baking: olive oil’s monounsaturated fat has a small fat crystal that gives a fine texture to cakes. Butter forms large fat crystals which result in a denser texture. Olive oil also contains tocopherols - antioxidants - that slow the process of cakes getting stale.

It’s always safe to use a milder olive oil if you don’t want the EVOO flavor to shine through. Arbequina olive oil has a delicate taste, while Tuscan varietals are more robust. For our Lemony Ricotta Olive Oil cake we use a medium robust oil - which is what our Tuscan blend extra virgin olive oil is - to balance out the citrus.


Lemony Ricotta Olive Oil Cake

Makes one 9-inch cake

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups of ricotta cheese blended smooth in a food processor

  • 2/3 cups of extra virgin olive oil

  • zest of 2 lemons

  • 1/4 cup of lemon juice

  • 1 1/2 cups of sugar

  • 3 eggs

  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour such as Red Mill 1:1 flour

  • 3/4 cup almond flour made from blanched almonds

  • 1 Tbs baking powder

  • 1/3 tsp soda

  • 3/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9” springform pan by brushing with olive oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Lightly brush the paper with oil.

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk the ricotta, olive oil, lemon juice, sugar and zest until completely combined. Next, whisk in eggs, one at a time, mixing until completely blended.

  • Into a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then gently whisk together.

  • Transfer the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and fold together with a spatula just until combined.

  • Pour into prepared springform pan and bake for 50-55 minutes. Check at 50 minutes to see if browned on top and wooden skewer comes out clean.

  • When done, place on a cooling rack and let cool before removing from pan.

  • Decorate with powdered sugar right before serving.

  • Cake can be stored for 3 days. Store tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature.

No-Knead Focaccia

10-12 servings

We like plain focaccia with its shiny oiled, salty top for snacking on Sunday afternoons before our family Sunday Night Dinners. But you can use your imagination and use toppings to make an impressive appetizer for company dinners. We’ve included some suggestions below. (This basic focaccia is based on a Bon Appétit recipe.)

Ingredients

  • 1/4-oz. envelope active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp.)

  • 2 tsp honey

  • 2 1/2 cups lukewarm water

  • 5 cups all-purpose flour

  • 5 tsp Kosher salt

  • 6 Tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus more for hands

  • Flaky salt such as Maldon salt

Instructions

  • Whisk active dry yeast, honey, and lukewarm water in a medium bowl and let sit for about 5 minutes, until it looks foamy and creamy.

  • Add flour and salt to the yeast mixture and mix with a spatula until a shaggy dough takes shape and no dry bits remain.

  • Pour 4 Tbs of the extra virgin olive oil into a big bowl that will fit into your refrigerator. Transfer the dough to the bowl and turn with your hands a few times to coat the dough in oil. Cover with a silicon lid or plastic wrap and chill until dough has doubled in size, at least 8 hours or up to a day. Ideal time to let the dough rise this long is overnight! A lengthly rise in the refrigerator develops the flavor and makes it easier to handle the dough.

  • Next day, generously butter a 9” x 13” baking pan - if you want a focaccia thick enough to slice for sandwiches; or a 13” x 18” rimmed sheet pan for a thinner, crispier focaccia.

  • Pour 1 Tbs of the olive oil into the center of the baking pan. Now, using a fork in each hand, pull up the edges of the dough farthest from you and lift up and over into the center of the bowl; repeat 2 more times. This way you deflate the dough and form it into a rough ball. Turn the dough into the baking pan with a spatula. Pour any oil left in the bowl over the dough and turn to coat in oil. Let rise until doubled in size, at least 1 1/2 hours.

  • Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. To see if the dough is ready to bake, press with a finger. It should spring back - slowly, leaving a small depression. Now lightly oil your hands and stretch dough to fit the pan completely. Dimple the focaccia all over with your fingers, vigorously pressing your fingers all the way to the bottom of the pan. Kids love to help with this step. Brush with the remaining 1 Tbs (or more!) of oil and sprinkle with the flaky salt. Bake until puffed and uniformly golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.

For simple toppings: After brushing the focaccia with oil and sprinkling with salt, spread pitted oil-cured olives on top or sliced scallions.

Some combination toppings (spread after brushing the focaccia with oil and sprinkling with salt):

  • thin ripe tomato slices, grated fontina, and torn fresh basil leaves

  • caramelized white onion slices, fresh thyme leaves, rinsed, drained and chopped capers, and maybe minced garlic

  • cauliflower florets (blanched, cooled, patted dry and tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper) and several fresh sage leaves

Summer Salads - Fresh and Refreshing

It’s the end of August, but here at the Farm we are still experiencing 3-digit temperatures so easy salads using local produce are welcome after a hot day. These salads easily lend themselves to experimenting. We’ve made suggested lists of ingredients to allow for your imagination and whatever you might have on hand. (Photo and food styling credit: Sophia Campodonico)


Burrata Peach Salad

2 servings

Using pillowy burrata, sweet peaches and peppery arugula, this salad becomes a luxurious take on the traditional caprese salad. Thanks to good friend @danielripleycatering for this salad’s inspiration.

  • 1 tub of burrata

  • 2 large handfuls of baby arugula

  • 2 ripe, but firm peaches cut into thick slices

  • 2-3 large heirloom tomatoes cut into wedges

  • Flaky salt, such as Maldon salt

  • Campodonico Olive Farm extra virgin olive oil

Layer peaches and tomatoes together on two plates. Pinch off large pieces of burrata and place two pieces on each plate of peaches and tomatoes. Scatter the arugula and sprinkle the Maldon salt on top. Drizzle the olive oil all over, making sure to get some in the cracks and crannies of the burrata. Taste and see why using a high-quality olive oil such as ours is the key to making a dish special.

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Noni’s Bean Salad

2 servings

“Noni” beans were brought to California by my Italian grandmother from Lucca around the turn of the last century. When dried in the shell, they resemble Borlotti beans and can be used for soups and stews. We like to pick most of the beans before the bean seeds mature at all. On a warm evening we like them simply blanched and tossed with some herbs and our favorite extra virgin olive oil.

  • 1/2 pound Romano beans, give or take

  • Few small springs of Italian parsley - leaves separated and torn.

  • A few mint leaves, torn.

  • 1 lemon

  • 2 to 3 Tbs Campodonico Olive Farm extra virgin olive oil

  • a pinch - or to taste - of red pepper flakes

  • sea salt

Blanch the green beans until crunchy tender and plunge into ice water. Drain. Zest the lemon with a microplane. Juice the lemon. Put the olive oil in a small bowl. Slowly pour the lemon juice into the oil, whisking briskly to mix thoroughly. Add a pinch of sea salt.

Arrange the beans on each plate. Sprinkle with the zest and a few pepper flakes. Shower the torn mint and parsley leaves over the top. Drizzle the dressing over the beans and serve.

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Panzanella (Italian bread salad)

3-4 servings

We first tasted this hot weather favorite in Florence, long before we even imagined that we would be raising olives and producing our own award-winning olive oil

  • 1 baguette cut into large cubes and allowed to get stale for a day

  • 2 Tbs red wine or sherry vinegar (more to taste)

  • 1/4 cup Campodonico Olive Farm extra virgin olive oil

  • 1-2 minced cloves of garlic

  • sea salt

  • freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 heirloom tomatoes, seeded and cut into small wedges

  • 1 cucumber halved, seeded and cut into crescents

  • several basil leaves, torn

Mix baguette pieces, tomatoes, cucumber together. Whisk the vinegar and olive oil together thoroughly. Mix in salt, garlic and freshly ground pepper. Toss with the bread mixture, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. To serve, plate the salad and sprinkle with the basil leaves. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top for extra deliciousness.

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The next two salads are easy to make and take no time at all to put together. They still rise above the mundane with the taste of fresh herbs and peppery olive oil.


Summer Squash Salad

2 servings

  • 1 zucchini

  • 1 crookneck squash

  • 1 lemon

  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, separated from stems

  • sea salt

  • Campodonico Olive Farm extra virgin olive oil

With a mandoline, slice squash lengthwise into ribbons. Divide in half and swirl the ribbons together on two plates. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and salt. Zest the lemon, letting it fall over the salad. Then squeeze the lemon over the salad as well. Lastly, drizzle the salad with olive oil.

To make a meal out of this beautiful salad, add spoonfuls of fresh ricotta and serve with grilled country bread rubbed with a clove of garlic. We recommend a chilly glass of Vermentino.

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Feta and Watermelon Salad

3-4 servings

  • Half of a small seedless watermelon

  • 6-ounce block of Greek feta cheese

  • Several mint leaves, larger ones torn

  • 3 Tbs Campodonico Olive Farm extra virgin olive oil

  • Flaky salt, such as Maldon salt

Cut three, 3/4-inch watermelon slices into 8 pie-shaped pieces. Cut the feta cheese into similar size triangles. Arrange them in a haphazard overlapping design on individual plates. Scatter the mint leaves on top. Sprinkle with Maldon salt. Liberally drizzle olive oil over the watermelon and cheese. A quick way to a delicious and cooling supper on a hot day.

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Late Breaking News: Another Gold Medal!

The Central Coast Olive Oil Competition recently awarded us a gold medal for our 2021 harvest olive oil. The judges described our oil as having a “robust finish” and a “bitter and pungent” flavor profile. These qualities assure our customers that our organic extra virgin olive oil has plenty of healthy polyphenols and is an excellent oil to use for your best culinary efforts.