Goats Cheese, Fennel and Orange Bruschetta

This tasty, zesty combination is often served as a refreshing salad, here I’ve combined it with a soft goats cheese to make a tasty topping for bruschetta. Ready in 10 minutes it’s perfect for summer lunches!

I’ve used Filippo Berio’s Rustico Olive Oil which is an unfiltered olive oil, meaning its full of flavour, with a mild peppery finish it’s perfect for adding to dishes just like this where you can really appreciate its flavour.

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Goats Cheese, Fennel and Orange Bruschetta

Servings: 2

Recipe by: Cooking & Carafes

Prep time: 5 MinCooking time: 5 MinTotal time: 10 Min

A tasty twist on bruschetta with this zesty combo, drizzled in Filippo Berio Rustico Olive Oil

Ingredients

• 1 orange
• 1 fennel bulb
• 200g Soft Goats cheese
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon
• Salt
• 4 tbsps Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 large slices or 4 smaller slices of bread for toasting such as sourdough or ciabatta

Instructions

1. Firstly prepare your fennel, save fronds for garnishing. Slice your fennel vertically from top to bottom and remove the harder core part by cutting into the ‘V’ of the bulb. Then finely slice or grate the fennel and add to a bowl.
2. Squeeze the juice of half a small lemon (1tbsp) over the fennel.
3. Next, peel the orange and slice into rounds or segments, add to your fennel and add a 2 tbsps of Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Stir with a spoon or mix with your hands.
4. Now toast your bread, I prefer to grill mine or use a griddle pan, brush with olive oil and toast both sides. If you wish, when warm rub a clove of garlic into the bread too.
5. Spread the goats cheese over the bread and top with the fennel and orange. You can also serve this as a salad on its own.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

856.12

Fat (grams)

51.75

Sat. Fat (grams)

19.09

Carbs (grams)

70.83

Fibre (grams)

6.87

Net carbs

63.96

Sugar (grams)

14.59

Protein (grams)

30.46

Sodium (milligrams)

1347.30

Cholesterol (grams)

46.00

Did you make this recipe?

Don't forget to tag @cookingcarafes #

Italian Inspired Spring Dinner with Filippo Berio

Here’s a dinner we cooked up in one of my online Cook Alongs. We used lots of lovely Extra Virgin Olive and Garlic Olive Oil from my friends at Filippo Berio. Each guest got sent a bottle of each to use as we cooked together.

To create a spring inspired diner we combined smashed new potatoes, alongside roasted veg and a medley of fennel and courgette with a zesty finish of lemon, all served up along a choice of chicken, fish or vegan alternatives.  

Olive Oil and Mediterranean diets

Olive oil is central to a Mediterranean or Italian diet and it is something I use daily in my cooking. No Italian kitchen is ever without quality olive oil. It is used daily to season dishes, salads and vegetables—and there is always a bottle on the table for extra flavouring or drizzling over crusty bread.

Grilled and roasted vegetables

One of my absolute favourite contorni to have in Italy is a plateful of grilled or roasted veg with some fish or grilled meats – this is often prepared on a griddle style pan, but I make it super easy for this dish and use the oven for a similar effect, and drizzled in the subtle but flavoursome Garlic Olive Oil from Filippo Berio with some dried herbs - it’s the perfect accompaniment to this spring dinner.

Cooking with fennel

I also wanted to show another way to prep some veg and to use a fennel bulb which lots of people hadn’t cooked with before, we combined this with courgette and lemon zest for a fresh finish perfect for spring and to accompany fish in particular.

Bring it all together to get the perfect spring dinner

---

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Spring Inspired Dinner

Servings: 2

Recipe by: Cooking & Carafes

Prep time: 15 MinCooking time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 Min

A combination of some of my favourite side dishes to accompany chicken, fish or vegetarian / vegan alternatives.

Ingredients

Smashed Potatoes

• New potatoes
• Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Roasted Vegetables

• Choose from one or two of the following:
• 1 aubergine
• 1 courgette
• 1 pepper
• Filippo Berio Garlic Oil
• Dried herbs

Fennel and Courgette

• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 courgette
• ½ lemon, zest and juice
• Italian mixed dried herbs
• Small glass of white wine
• Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Filippo Berio Garlic Oil

Instructions

Choose from Chicken, Fish or Vegan Alternative

1. I showed various options of chicken and fish, or even veggie sausages or quorn. We kept it simple, creating a foil parcel to keep all the lovely juices contained.
2. For the fish we simple drizzled Extra Virgin Olive Oil over and seasoned with a little salt and pepper and optional chilli flakes.
3. For the chicken we cut a slit into the breast, spread with some soft cheese and seasoned with salt and pepper, fresh herbs and wrapped in prosciutto.
4. We then surrounded them with cherry tomatoes and drizzled in Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Filippo Berio, and sealed our parcels.
5. Approximate cooking times on a preheated oven at 190 degrees: Chicken 30 minutes, ensure juices run clear, fish 1 -20 minutes, vegan alternative follow pack instructions.

Smashed Potatoes

1. Boil your new potatoes for 15 – 20 minutes until soft
2. Drain and coat in Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, season with salt & pepper
3. Lightly break with a fork or masher to crush them slightly
4. Place on a baking tray, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and roast for 20 minutes at 190 degrees (fan oven)
5. You might also like my Smashed Pesto Potatoes recipe on Filippo Berio

Roasted Vegetables with Garlic Olive Olive Oil

1. Slice your courgette or aubergine lengthways about 1cm thick to create long, thin slices of courgette.
2. If using pepper cut large pieces from around the core
3. Place on a baking tray with some baking parchment, brush them in Filippo Berio Garlic Olive Oil and scatter with dried herbs such as oregano or basil.
4. Roast in a pre-heated fan oven at 190 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes. Drizzle in additional Filippo Berio Garlic Olive Oil when serving.

Fennel and Courgette

1. Chop a courgette into chunky quarter pieces. Halve and remove the hard bulbous part of the fennel bulb and slice into 1cm pieces
2. Heat 1 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a shallow pan on a low heat, add your fennel and courgettes. Add 1sp of dried herbs.
3. Cook slowly for about 10 minutes until they start to soften, next add your lemon zest, juice and splash of white wine and increase the heat. Stir through some garlic olive oil at the end before serving.
4. Plate everything up together and enjoy!

https://www.cookingandcarafes.co.uk/recipes/italian-inspired-spring-dinner

spring dinner, smashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, garlic olive oil, italian food, mediterranean diet

Dinner

Italian

Did you make this recipe?

Don't forget to tag @cookingcarafes #

Created using The Recipes Generator

This recipe is from my series of Cook Alongs and is part of a paid collaboration with Filippo Berio.

We’d love to see if you recreate any of our dishes so please tag @FilippoBerio_UK, @CookingCarafes

Find out more about Filippo Berio

---

More recipes you might like

Stuffed Peppers and Tomatoes

I started making stuffed peppers for my lunch during last year’s lockdown, they were a great way to use up leftover cous cous or orzo salads, or even risotto. Plus I love their bright colours on the plate and they’re perfect served with just a simple salad of rocket, and a drizzle of Filippo Berio Olive Oil and Balsamic.

I also love roasted tomatoes, and these go beautifully with fresh fish or chicken as a side dish.

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Serves: 2 Calories: 292 calories

---

Ingredients

• 2 peppers or 4 large tomatoes
• 75g cous cous
• Handful cherry tomatoes
• 4-5 sundried tomatoes
• 50g pitted black olives
• 2tsp Filippo Berio Chargrilled Vegetable Pesto
• 1 ball of mozzarella or 1/2 block of feta
• 2tbsps Filippo Berio Classico Olive Oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (fan oven)
2. Remove the top and inner of your peppers and / or tomatoes
3. Using 1 tbsp olive oil brush your peppers or tomatoes in the olive oil
4. Place into an oven dish, with the tops on if they fit and roast for 10 minutes.
5. While they are roasting, cover your cous cous in boiling water so the water comes above the cous and place a plate on top.
6. Roughly chop your tomatoes, slice your olives, and dice your feta or mozzarella
7. Once the cous cous is cooked, stir through 1tbsp of olive oil, and then add your tomatoes, olives and mozzarella or feta. Save a few pieces of the mozzarella or feta to add on top.
8. Add 2tsps of Filippo Berio Chargrilled Pesto and combine together.
9. After 10 minutes remove your veg from the oven and increase the temperature to 200 degrees
10. Stuff your veg with the cous cous and top with some extra feta or mozzarella.
11. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes – tomatoes may need a little less time depending on their size!

Serve with a side salad and why not add some tasty bruschetta too

---

This recipe is from my series of Cook Along and is part of a paid collaboration with Filippo Berio.

We’d love to see if you recreate any of our dishes so please tag @FilippoBerio_UK, @CookingCarafes

Find out more about Filippo Berio

---

Italian Style Sausage Casserole

A quick and easy casserole for weeknight meals and home comfort. Combine tasty veg cooked in Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Filippo Berio, with cannellini beans, quality chopped tomatoes and sausages of your choice for this tasty, fuss free, rustic dinner.

Pair it with thick, crunchy fresh bread or why not try adding my rosemary roasted potatoes.

Italian Style Sausage Casserole with Filippo Berio

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Serves: 2-3 | Nutrition: 649 calories per serving

---

Ingredients

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, sliced and quartered
• 1 courgette, sliced and quartered
• 100g Spinach (fresh or frozen), you can also use cavolo nero or kale
• 400g cannellini beans, again you could use borlotti beans or chick peas
• 400g chopped tinned tomatoes
• 3 - 4 sausages of your choice - I use traditional pork sausages, but you can substitute these for vegan/veggie/gluten free sausages,
• 1tsp oregano or alternative dried or fresh herbs, like rosemary or thyme
• Chilli flakes if you like a little heat or fresh chilli
• Salt & Pepper
• Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method

1. I cook my sausages separately in the oven so I can be getting on with the rest of the dish, I cook mine in the oven initially for 25 minutes. Depending on the sausages you are using, cook to instruction while you prep ingredients and dish.

2. Add 2tbsp of Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil to your pan (you need a large flat based pan or casserole style dish for the hob), add your onion and carrot, and season with a little salt.

3. Cook on a low heat for 5 minutes until the onions are softened and translucent, then add your courgette, oregano or dried herbs and chilli flakes if adding cook for a further five minutes.

4. Add your chopped tomatoes and allow to simmer. Once your sausages are cooked, slice them into thick pieces and add to your casserole dish and combine. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Now add your cannellini beans and stir. Add your fresh spinach on top and allow it to steam and cook down into the sauce.

6. Once your sauce has thickened and is nice and chunky, my top tip is give it a taste test! Then drizzle it in Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

7. Serve it up with my Rosemary Roasted Potatoes or thick, crusty bread to mop up the sauce – delicious!

---

This recipe is from my series of Cook Along and is part of a paid collaboration with Filippo Berio.

We’d love to see if you recreate any of our dishes so please tag @FilippoBerio_UK, @CookingCarafes

Find out more about Filippo Berio

You might also like these recipes

Orzo Pasta Salad

When it comes to summer dishes pasta salads are an essential for me. Whenever we have a BBQ I can guarantee you there will be a pasta salad on the side, along with other essentials like potato salad, veggie kebabs and so on.

What is orzo?

Orzo still isn’t that well used in the UK but it’s a great pasta for a range of dishes, whether it’s to accompany meatballs, soups or for exactly this, a pasta salad. It’s not to be confused with risotto which is rice, Orzo is made with durum wheat semolina and water, but it can be cooked in a similar style to risotto, which makes it great for one pot dishes.

Perfect for a BBQ side dish

This orzo pasta salad recipe can be enjoyed on its own, with meat and fish or even stuffed into peppers.

Orzo Pasta Salad | Sundried tomatoes, mozzarella and olives

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Serves: 6 people as a side | Nutrition: 353 calories per serving

---

Ingredients

• Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Fillipo Berio Red Wine Vinegar
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• 200g orzo
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• Handful of sundried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped
• 100g Spinach
• 150g Cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsps Black olives, sliced
• 1 ball of Mozzarella (keep the mozzarella water)
• Fresh basil / dried herbs

Instructions

1. Add some Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil to a pan and on a low heat cook your finely sliced shallots for a couple of minutes. Season with a little salt and some dried herbs if you have them.
2. Add the mozzarella water and bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Then add your orzo and 250ml of boiling water, allow to simmer for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring.
4. After 5 minutes add another 150ml of boiling water and you can add frozen spinach at this point (make sure you have defrosted and squeezed out any excess water).
5. After another 3 minutes, add a final 50-100ml of water to finish cooking your orzo so it’s al dente and has a creamy finish.
6. Turn the heat off, add your olives and sundried tomatoes and leave to cool while you make your dressing.
7. To make the dressing add 2tbsps of Filippo Berio Red Wine Vinegar, the juice of one small lemon and 6 tbsps of Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Mix together to create a dressing and drizzle over the orzo, stir to combine.
8. Add your tomatoes.
9. Once cooled, transfer to a serving bowl and place in the fridge for about an hour to allow all the flavours to come together.
10. When you’re ready to serve, add your mozzarella, tear fresh basil over the top, and finish with a drizzle of Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I’d love to see if you recreate this dish so please tag @CookingCarafes and @FilippoBerio and we’ll share them.

This is part of a paid for collaboration with Filippo Berio during the Covid-19 Crisis.  

---

You might like…

White and Green Bean Salad with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

This side dish makes the perfect accompaniment to fish and meat dishes in particular chicken and pork, or even as a salad on its own. It can be served hot or cold and would also be perfect to have alongside a BBQ.

This Mediterranean style dish uses the juices of the cherry tomatoes and Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil to make delicious, healthy and nutritious dish.

White and Green Bean Salad with Roasted Cherry Tomaotes

Cooking time: 20 minutes.
Serves: 2 people

Ingredients:

• 100g green beans (handful), topped and tailed and chopped into 2.5cm pieces
• 200g Cannellini beans
• 100g Cherry tomatoes (about 10), halved
• Dried oregano
• Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Add the cherry tomatoes to an oven dish and drizzle in a good glug of Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and season with salt and oregano (1/2 tsp)
2. Place in the oven for 15 minutes.
3. While the tomatoes are cooking, bring a pan of water to the boil, salt it and add your green beans for about 5-6 minutes, and drain.
4. Remove the tomatoes from the oven, add the green beans and cannellini beans. Add anoter good glug or two of olive oil (2-3 tbsps at least), add a little more salt and combine together.
5. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes to warm through, and serve.

View fullsize

View fullsize

These work perfectly with my Rosemary Roasted Potatoes, which are part of the Filippo Berio Five Course Menu we have been cooking over on Instagram.

Here’s all the dishes from fellow chefs; Paola @thetinyitalian, Carmela @CarmelasKitchen, Suzanne @eastdulwichchef and Kathy @Gluts_Gluttony.

We’d all love to see if you recreate any of our dishes so please tag @FilippoBerio, @CookingCarafes, and the chefs above and we’ll share them.

This is part of a paid for collaboration with Filippo Berio during the Covid-19 Crisis.  

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

These potatoes are my go to for an easy side dish – they work with most main meals and make an easy alternative to classic roast potatoes. With very little prep and under an hour cooking time, this is simplistic cooking at its best using beautiful Filippo Berio Olive Oil to get the perfect finish.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized potato per person (you can use new potatoes etc too)
• 1-2 garlic cloves (optional)
• 1-2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped. Alternatively used dried herbs like thyme or oregano
• Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Prepare an oven dish or baking tray and brush with Filippo Berio Classic Olive Oil or Extra Virgin (alternatively use some baking parchment) this will help to stop the potatoes sticking.
2. Dice the potatoes into 1.5-2cm pieces.
3. In the oven dish add the potatoes and drizzle with plenty of Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil (at least 2tbsps), season with the salt and pepper and add the rosemary. If you have some garlic cloves, peel them and crush gently with the back of a knife and add to the tray while cooking for extra flavour.
4. Using your hands (or a spoon) mix all the ingredients together so the potatoes are coated in the olive oil
5. Place in the oven to cook for 45 minutes, giving them a stir every 15 minutes to help stop them sticking and to brown all sides.

These work perfectly with my Green and White Bean Salad with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes. Both make the perfect accompaniment to fish, chicken, pork and other dishes – or combine to make a delicious vegan dish on their own. Both dishes are part of the Filippo Berio Five Course Menu we have been cooking over on Instagram.

Here’s all the dishes from fellow chefs; Paola @thetinyitalian, Carmela @CarmelasKitchen, Suzanne @eastdulwichchef and Kathy @Gluts_Gluttony.

We’d all love to see if you recreate any of our dishes so please tag @FilippoBerio, @CookingCarafes, and the chefs above and we’ll share them.

 This is part of a paid for collaboration with Filippo Berio during the Covid-19 Crisis.  

Bruschetta with Filippo Berio

Bruschetta has got to be one of my favourite starters or lunch appetisers. It’s simple to make and it’s great to have on your own or with your guests (when lockdown is over). Plus it rolls me back to long lunches in Italy with my parents in little trattorias. I remember some of the best we had were in Sicily’s hilltop town of Taormina, relaxing in the winding cobbled streets in the afternoon heat with an ice cold drink – perfect.

I have teamed up with Filippo Berio as part of a series of cook alongs during the Covid-19 crisis to bring you easy recipes using store cupboard ingredients, and of course delicious olive oil. Bruschetta is also a great way to use up bread that is a little past its best.

Here’s a couple of ideas for you to try.

Tomato Bruschetta

• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Cooking time: 5 minutes
• Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Handful of cherry tomatoes or 2 – 3 larger tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried herbs, use what you have but oregano, mixed Italian or basil would be perfect
• Few fresh basil leaves if you have it but not essential
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. First things first, dice your tomatoes. I like doing this a bit haphazardly so they’re different sizes but it’s up to you how precise you want to be.
2. Next add a good glug of Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2-3 tbsps at least), salt, pepper, dried herbs and if you have it some chopped or torn basil into the bowl, mix it up and leave while you prepare the bread, allowing all the flavours to soak in.
3. Slice some ciabatta or French bread into slices about 1 – 1.5cm thick.
4. Drizzle it with Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil and rub a cut garlic clove over the bread to flavour it and season with a little salt.
5. For ease I usually toast my bread in the oven (5 minutes 180 degrees) but you can place under a hot grill, use a griddle pan or even the toaster for speed.
6. Once the bread is lightly toasted, although a bit burnt does add to the flavour (!), it’s ready to serve.
7. Top with your tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil. You could add mozzarella or grate some parmesan over the top too if you have it.

Tuna and caper bruschetta

Ingredients:

• Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Tin of tuna
• Red or white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp capers
• 1 tbsp of pitted olives, sliced
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Follow the same process as above for preparing the bread.
2. In a small bowl combine 2tbsps of olive oil and 1tbsp of red and white wine vinegar, if you have some lemon add a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper and then combine together with a spoon.
3. Drizzle the dressing over your tuna and mix together. You could always add cannellini beans too.
4. Top the bruschetta with the tuna, dress with the capers and olives, drizzle with Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil and serve.

---

We’d love to see if you make your own bruschetta during lockdown and the Covid-19 crisis. Tag @FilippoBerio and @CookingCarafes and we’ll share them.

Thank you to Filippo Berio for inviting me to take part in their Interactive Cookery Sessions along with all the other great cooks; Kathy @Gluts_Gluttony, Carmela @CarmelasKitchen, Paola @thetinyitalian and Suzanne @eastdulwichchef. 

Don’t miss us all cooking up a Supper Club dish every day at 5pm, week commencing 20 April, over on our Instagram Lives.

Grissini

I’d wanted to make grissini for a while and I didn’t realise quite how simple it was, so time to inspire you all to make your own with this basic recipe.

Grissini is the italian name for breadsticks, but when you see them called this in the UK it’s usually a good way to differentiate between the thinner style breadsticks to the chunkier ones we are used to. Personally I prefer my breadsticks thin and crispy, with a good crunch so that’s what this recipe is aimed at.

After a few test batches I also decided to reduce the ingredients so this makes a batch of about 20 breadsticks which would be perfect for a small group of friends but you can double it up if you want to.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Grissini

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 30 minutes

Servings: 15-20 grissini

Ingredients

• 120g strong white flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp fast-action yeast
• 1 tbsp Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil
• 75ml lukewarm water
• Semolina, fennel, rosemary, poppy seeds, sea salt for the topping

Instructions

1. Put the flour, salt and yeast in a mixing bowl and stir together.
2. Make a small well in the middle and add the water and the olive oil.
3. Mix with a fork or wooden spoon to bring together into a dough, use your hands to combine and then knead on a well floured board.
4. Knead for five minutes until you have a nice, springy dough.
5. Using the palm of your hand gently flatten the dough so that it's about 1.5cm thick in an oblong/rectangular shape.
6. Using a sharp knife cut a piece of dough 1cm in width
7. Using your hands roll from the middle out, with even pressure to create a long thin grissini, then lightly roll in your herbs or seeds of choice.
8. Place the grissini on a lightly oiled baking tray (use a little olive oil).
9. Continue with the rest of the dough.
10. Sprinkle sea salt on the breadsticks and then leave to rest for 10 - 15 minutes.
11. Preheat the oven to 200C (fan). Bake the breadsticks for about 12 minutes (cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of the grissini and the type of oven). I like mine crisp and with crunch, if you're unsure break one to see, but they are quite thin so also make sure they don't burn!
12. Leave to cool before serving.

Don’t forget to tag me in any of your recreations of my recipes you can find me on all social as @CookingCarafes.

These pair perfectly with my homemade dips: Italian Style Hummus, Beetroot Dip and Black Olive Tapenade