“IT DEFINITELY HAS to have texture and salt… and acid. Those three things. And freshness! Freshness, acidity, crunch and salt.” If ever there was a magic formula for the perfect antipasti, this is it – and Trisha Greentree has mastered the art. In Februar
CROSTINI WITH RICOTTA & CAVIAR SERVES 8-10, AS A LIGHT MEAL OR STARTER Begin this recipe 1 day ahead.
500g tipo
‘00’ flour
75g caster sugar
10g instant yeast
10g fennel seeds
1 egg
150g butter, melted
175ml milk Extra virgin olive oil, to brush and serve
2 cups (480g) ricotta
1/4 cup (60ml) pure cream
100g salmon roe
30ml mirin
Place flour, 20g salt flakes, sugar, yeast and fennel seeds in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook. Mix on medium speed until combined. Combine egg, butter and milk in a jug and slowly add to flour mixture. Mix for 3 minutes or until dough comes together. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease 4 large baking trays and line with greaseproof paper. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. Start with a floured bench and the pasta machine on the thickest setting. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll through the settings, reducing thickness, until size 2. In batches, place on prepared trays, brush with oil, season and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Cool on trays. Transfer to a separate tray.
Place ricotta and cream in a blender and blend until combined and smooth.
Place salmon roe and mirin in a small bowl. Stir gently to combine. Place whipped ricotta in a bowl. Top with roe, scatter with freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with oil. Serve with crostini.
ORANGE, FENNEL & PRAWN CRUDO SERVES 4, AS A LIGHT MEAL OR STARTER
1kg medium sashimi-grade green king prawns, peeled, deveined, cut into 1cm pieces
1 each orange, grapefruit and ruby red grapefruit, peeled, segmented, cut into 1cm pieces, juice reserved 1 baby fennel, trimmed, shaved, sprigs reserved
Dill sprigs and chargrilled sliced
baguette, to serve
DRESSING
1/ 3 cup (80ml) reserved citrus juice
1/ 3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs brown rice vinegar For the dressing, place all the ingredients in a small bowl and season. Whisk until well combined.
Place the prawn, orange, grapefruit, ruby red grapefruit and fennel in a serving bowl and add one-quarter of the dressing. Season and toss well to combine. Divide among plates, drizzle with remaining dressing and scatter with dill and fennel sprigs. Serve with chargrilled sliced baguette alongside.
FISH POLPETTE WITH PUTTANESCA SAUCE SERVES 4, AS A LIGHT MEAL OR STARTER
750g white fish fillets, skinned, boned,
cut into chunks
2 tbs finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 bunch oregano, leaves picked, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
50g potato starch
Zest of 1 lemon, plus extra wedges to serve
1 egg, separated
1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil, plus extra, to deep-fry
1 small white onion, thinly sliced 50g daikon, finely chopped
PUTTANESCA SAUCE
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
5 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
50g kalamata olives, seeds removed,
sliced 50g salted capers, rinsed, drained
2 bird’s-eye chillies (optional),
thinly sliced 700g tomato passata
200g mayonnaise
1/4 bunch oregano, leaves picked, finely chopped
1/2 bunch basil, leaves picked, finely chopped
Place the fish, parsley, oregano, potato starch, lemon zest and egg yolk in a food processor and blitz until combined. Gradually add the vegetable oil. Add the onion and daikon and pulse until combined. Whisk the egg white in a bowl to soft peaks, then fold into the fish mixture. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
Meanwhile, for the puttanesca sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, anchovies, olives, capers and chilli, if using. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5- 6 minutes or until mixture starts to caramelise. Stir in the passata, bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 35- 40 minutes. Stir in the mayonnaise and herbs. Season. Cover and keep warm.
Fill a large saucepan three-quarters full with vegetable oil. Heat to 180°C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 90 seconds). Shape 1 tbs fish mixture into rough balls. Cook, in batches, stirring gently, for 4-5 minutes or until golden. Drain on paper towel and season. Scatter with extra oregano. Serve with puttanesca sauce and lemon wedges alongside.
FARINATA, GIARDINIERA PICKLES, PECORINO & PROSCIUTTO SERVES 4, AS A LIGHT MEAL OR STARTER Begin this recipe 1 day ahead.
11/ 3 cup (200g) chickpea flour 50ml olive oil Shaved pecorino and sliced prosciutto,
to serve
GIARDINIERA
1 cup (250ml) white wine vinegar
1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar 1 carrot, peeled, trimmed, cut into
5cm batons 1 celery stalk, trimmed, cut into
5cm batons 2 x 5cm chunks daikon, cut into batons
1/4 bunch thyme 2 bay leaves
For the giardiniera, place the vinegar, sugar and 250ml water in a saucepan over high heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Place remaining ingredients in a large heatproof bowl and scatter with 1 tbs salt flakes. Pour the hot pickling liquid over the vegetables. Refrigerate overnight.
To make the farinata, mix the chickpea flour and 450ml water in a bowl and rest in the fridge overnight.
Skim any foam from farinata mixture, add oil and mix well to combine. Heat a lightly greased 20cm non-stick frypan over low heat. Pour a thin layer (about 2/3 cup) of batter into pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Flip and cook for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through and golden. Don’t cook it for too long, farinata should be soft.
Drain the giardiniera, discarding the pickling liquid and reserving the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Place the giardiniera in a small bowl and top with the reserved bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Place on a platter with the farinata, prosciutto and pecorino.
‘NDUJA DIP WITH GRILLED LEEKS SERVES 6-8, AS A STARTER
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra, to drizzle 6 eschalots, thinly sliced 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, thinly sliced 1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted 250g ‘nduja (spreadable spicy salami)
1/2 cup (125ml) white wine 250g cooked chickpeas 50ml red wine vinegar 24 small pencil leeks, trimmed, washed Grated pecorino, lemon wedges and
oregano leaves, to serve
To make the dip, heat the oil in a saucepan over high heat. Add the eschalot, fennel and fennel seeds. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5- 6 minutes or until starting to caramelise. Add ‘nduja and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, for 6-8 minutes or until fat separates. Add wine, scraping the base of the pan with a spoon, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until well combined. Place mixture in a blender with the chickpeas and vinegar and blend until smooth. Season. Set aside.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Blanch leeks for 30-40 seconds or until slightly soft. Refresh in iced water. Drain and place on paper towel. Preheat a chargrill or barbecue to high. Place leeks in a large bowl and drizzle with extra oil. Season to taste and toss to coat. Grill leeks in batches, turning, for 3- 4 minutes or until nicely charred.
Place dip in a small bowl on a platter with the charred leeks. Scatter with grated pecorino and oregano leaves. Drizzle with extra olive oil and serve with lemon wedges.
“Grilled vegetables make the perfect snack. Using the freshest you can find also heightens the taste.”
PIZZA FRITTI WITH LEMON PUREE & SEA URCHIN SERVES 6-8, AS A LIGHT MEAL OR STARTER
3 lemons
1/2 cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 sea urchins, cleaned, roe removed (you can purchase sea urchin roe ready to eat from your local fish market or fishmonger)
Thyme leaves, to serve
PIZZA FRITTI
1 sachet (7g) dried yeast 1kg strong (baker’s) flour Vegetable oil, to deep-fry To make the lemon puree, place lemons in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and repeat 3 times. On the final time, bring to the boil and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until very soft. Drain, reserving 125ml lemon cooking water. Place lemons in a blender with the olive oil and lemon water and blitz until combined. Season. If lemon puree is a little thick, add more lemon water until you reach a good consistency. Season. Set aside.
Meanwhile, for the pizza fritti, place 550ml lukewarm water in a jug, add yeast and mix gently to combine. Set aside for 6-8 minutes or until mixture begins to foam. Place flour in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook. Add yeast mixture and mix on low speed until combined and smooth. Add a good pinch of salt flakes and mix for 2-3 minutes.
Grease 3 large oven trays and line with baking paper. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a ball. Place on another oven tray lined with baking paper. Cover and set aside for 30- 40 minutes or until dough is doubled in size. Divide dough into 100g balls and set aside for 30- 40 minutes or until doubled in size. Flatten the dough, pushing your finger in the middle of the ball, taking care not overstretch it but leave a nice and fluffy rim on it. Place shaped balls onto prepared trays.
Half-fill a large deep frypan with vegetable oil over high heat to 180°C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 90 seconds). Fry pizza fritti, in batches, turning occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Place pizza fritti on a platter and lemon puree in a small bowl. Place a small spoonful of puree in the centre of each pizza fritti, topped with sea urchin roe. Serve scattered with freshly ground black pepper and thyme leaves.
BAGNA CAUDA WITH CRUDITES SERVES 4-6, AS A LIGHT MEAL OR STARTER
10 anchovy fillets in oil, drained, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed 100g cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 bunch each baby red radishes, Japanese turnips and baby carrots, trimmed, halved
1 each green witlof and purple witlof, trimmed, leaves separated
1 bunch French breakfast radishes,
trimmed, leaves separated
Place anchovies and garlic in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Slowly add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking continuously to emulsify. Gradually whisk in oil. Add lemon zest and juice and season with black pepper. Place in a serving bowl. Scatter vegetables with freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with extra oil to serve.