From starters to dessert, Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil brings every dish to life. A menu cooked recently with an incredible group of talented foodies at the celebration for 160 Years of Bertolli, an in person cooking school experience, I hosted at Vive Cooking School. Our menu included:
Starter: Heirloom tomatoes with mozzarella, basil + dukkah, finished with @bertollioliveoil_australia EVOO
Main: Chicken or mushroom piccata (for our vego twist) with a silky lemon caper olive oil sauce
Dessert: Vanilla bean ice cream with EVOO-seared medjool dates, sea salt + pistachios
For over 160 years, Bertolli has been crafting the world’s #1 extra virgin olive oil – cold-pressed, pure, and expertly blended for consistent flavour. From fresh salads to rich sauces to even sweet creations, it’s the Mediterranean tradition of good living in every drop.
Which recipe are you trying first?
STARTER: Heirloom Tomato, Burrata and Olive Oil Dukkah Salad
Serves 4
500g mixed colour (large) heirloom tomatoes
150g burrata or fresh mozzarella
2-3 tbsp Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Small handful fresh basil leaves
Dukkah:
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2tbsp chopped almonds
1 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp cumin seed
Sea salt and black pepper
Make the dukkah first. Heat a frypan on medium heat and add sesame seeds, almonds, coriander, cumin and a good pinch of salt. Toast until fragrant and sesame seeds are lightly golden. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, and grind to a medium crumb. Slice the tomatoes into 5mm thick pieces and arrange on a serving plate. Place burrata or fresh mozzarella over the top. Drizzle all over with Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive oil, followed by the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle dukkah generously over all the ingredients and serve with fresh sourdough bread.
MAINS: Chicken Piccata with Olive Oil, Lemon and Capers
Serves 3-4
2 medium chicken breasts (650g)
4 tbsp Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 tbsp spelt/wholemeal flour or GF flour
2 tbsp finely grated parmesan
1 cup chicken stock
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ green apple
2 tbsp baby capers
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
Sea salt and black pepper
Slice each chicken breast into 3 pieces. Place between 2 pieces of baking paper and use a meat tenderiser or rolling pin to flatten the chicken into 5mm thick pieces. Transfer to a plate and drizzle with some Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil to lightly coat. Add flour, parmesan and a pinch of salt to a small bowl and toss. Coat the chicken breast in the flour parmesan combination. Heat a frypan on medium heat and add 2 tbsp Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive oil. Once the pan is hot add the chicken pieces and cook 3-4 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another minute on the alternate. The chicken should be lovely and golden. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Slice the apple into 2 thin pieces. Add the chicken stock, finely chopped garlic, apple slices and 1tbsp Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the pan, increase heat to high and cook for around 3 minutes. Stir throughout. Add capers, parsley, lemon juice, stir and cook for a further 1 minute. Remove the apple slices, season with salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken pieces over a serving plate, pour the lemon caper olive oil sauce over the top. Give it another good grind of black pepper and serve with fennel rocket salad.
Plant based lemon piccata mushrooms:
Serves 2
200g king oyster mushrooms
200g oyster mushrooms
2 tbsp spelt or wholemeal flour
2 tsp nutritional yeast
1 cup vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ green apple
2 tbsp baby capers
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
Sea salt and black pepper
Slice larger king oyster mushrooms into 1cm thick pieces. Transfer to a plate and drizzle all mushrooms with some Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Add flour, nutritional yeast and a pinch of salt to a small bowl and toss. Coat the mushrooms in the flour nutritional yeast combination. Heat a frypan on medium heat and add 2 tbsp Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive oil. Once the pan is hot add the mushrooms and cook 3-4 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another minute on the alternate. The mushrooms should be lovely and golden. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Slice the apple into 2 thin pieces. Add the vegetable stock, finely chopped garlic, apple slices and 1tbsp Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil, increase heat to high and cook for around 3 minutes. Add capers, parsley, lemon juice and cook for a further 1 minute. Remove the apple slices, season with salt and pepper. Arrange the mushroom pieces over a serving plate, pour the lemon caper olive oil sauce over the top. Give it another good grind of black pepper and serve with fennel rocket salad.
To serve: Fennel Apple Rocket Salad
1 small fennel bulb
¾ green apple
30g baby rocket leaves
1-2 tsp white wine vinegar
1 ½ tbsp Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Finely slice the fennel and apple on a mandolin, and place in a bowl. Add rocket, drizzle with the white wine vinegar and Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive oil, add in approximately ½ cup fennel fronds, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Arrange onto a serving plate and garnish with another ½ cup of fennel fronds to serve.
DESSERT: Ice Cream, Medjool dates, sea salt, pistachios and Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive OIl
Serves 2
2 medjool dates
1 tbsp shelled pistachio nuts
300ml plant based vanilla ice cream
2 tsp Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for drizzling
Sea salt
Remove seed from dates and tear into 8ths. Finely chop the pistachio nuts. Heat Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a small frypan on medium heat. Add pieces of medjool date and cook until there is a sizzle, remove from pan (leaving in the pan may overcook the sugars in the date). Scoop ice cream into a cup or glass, divide the cooked dates between the cups and pour over the remaining Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the frypan. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil. Sprinkle the pistachios on top and finish with a small pinch of salt over each.
