Our Chef in Residence, Noreen Wasti, has created a satisfying weeknight dinner recipe to highlight our Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil — a bright, buttery oil made from Nocellara del Belice olives, commonly known as Castelvetrano snacking olives when cured.
"This delicious pasta recipe has a short ingredient list and simple technique allowing our newest olive oil, Castelvetrano to really shine. Orecchiette pasta gets coated in a glossy mixture of olive oil, garlic, lemon, and black pepper and then tossed with chopped pistachios and topped with generous dollops of creamy burrata. Peppery, layered, and full of flavor. Omit the burrata for a vegan option!" - Noreen Wasti
Ingredients
1 lb orecchiette
1/4 cup Brightland Castelvetrano Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
salt, to taste
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to finish
1 lemon, zest & juice*
1/4 cup chopped toasted pistachios, plus more to garnish
8 ounces burrata
handful of torn fresh parsley leaves, to garnish
* Use a juicy lemon — you should have a 1/4 cup of lemon juice, adjust the quantity if required.
* Styling tip — keep the parsley leaves whole for a pretty touch.
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orecchiette until al dente. Reserve two cups of pasta water before straining.
Heat the Castelvetrano olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the garlic and cook for two minutes.
Season with salt and add the black pepper with lemon zest and juice. Stir and let cook for one minute.
Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium low and cook the sauce for an additional 4-5 minutes.
Turn the heat off and add the orecchiette to the pan, mix well to combine. Add a splash more of pasta water if necessary to create a glossy coating.
Add the pistachios and toss. Taste for seasoning.
To serve, break the burrata up and place on top of the pasta in dollops.
Garnish with more black pepper, chopped pistachios, parsley, and generous drizzles of Castelvetrano olive oil.
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