Last week we made our amazing Kitchen Sink Focaccia (if you missed it, head over to the recipe and take a look - it’s delicious), and this week we need something to dip it in. 

Olive oil based dips are an easy crowd pleaser and can be whipped up on super short notice (not that anyone is entertaining right now, but that’s ok. You deserve an amazing olive oil dip on fresh bread right now, don’t you? Of course, you do).

Now dipping your bread in plain oil and balsamic is amazing, but why not spice it up a bit? And this recipe has lots of wiggle room, so you can swap in ingredients you have instead of running to the store. Everything is optional, with the exception of the olive oil. 

1 cup Grove 45 Extra Virgin Olive Oil (this stuff goes fast, so pour generously)
Fresh garlic, 2 cloves minced (you can swap in 1-2 tablespoon of the jarred stuff if necessary)
Minced (fresh or dried) rosemary, 2 teaspoons
Minced (fresh or dried) thyme, 2 teaspoons
Capers, rinsed and drained, 2 tablespoons
Parmesan cheese, finely grated, to taste
Pinch of fine sea salt (consider a flavored salt for an extra layer of flavor)
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Extras to consider
Chile flakes
Anchovy paste (or a single, small anchovy)
Truffle shavings

Make sure that everything is minced very fine. Mix garlic and capers together in a serving dish, then add the herbs, salt and pepper and any extras. Mix well. If you want to get fancy, form the resulting paste into a ball with a spoon or ice cream scoop.Pour Grove 45 Extra Virgin Olive Oil over herb mixture, then grate Parmesan over the entire thing. 

Serve with warm-from-the-oven focaccia bread (or any other bread or cracker works just fine too.)

Enjoy!

We’ve officially jumped on the bread-making bandwagon. While we admire those who are turning out beautiful and intricate sourdoughs and French loaves, we are opting for one of our stand-bys: delicious, relatively quick and easy. 

We call it our Kitchen Sink Focaccia because you can top it with pretty much everything but the kitchen sink! Most recipes call for some sort of herb topping, which is classic and always reliable. But why not dress it up a bit? Rosemary, sure. How about garlic? Or dill. Or olives. Or cheese. Want several toppings, why not? Plain is also fantastic too, when it’s piping hot and dipped in Grove 45 extra virgin olive oil and good balsamic. 

If you don’t have a stand mixer with a bread hook, feel free to mix in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon (or knead with your hands, which is even more fun).

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (around 110 degrees)

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 package active-dry yeast

• 4 cups flour (you can use all-purpose or bread flour)

• 1/3 cup Grove 45 extra virgin olive oil, plus more for pan and topping

• 2 teaspoons salt

Optional toppings:

Coarse sea salt
Fresh rosemary
Garlic
Chives
Parmesan or other hard, shaved cheeses
Olives
Caramelized onions
Roasted artichoke hearts
Sun-dried tomatoes
Prosciutto, Sopressata, Coppa, or other charcuterie
Pretty much anything else you can think of!

Instructions

1. Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar in mixer bowl. Stir gently to combine and let sit until the yeast is puffy and foamy (about 8-10 minutes).

2. Add the flour, salt, olive oil, and salt to the yeast mixture, and mix until combined. Increase to medium speed, and continue mixing/kneading until dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add an additional ¼ cup flour.

3. Oil a large bowl with olive oil. Remove dough from bowl and form into a ball. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it over several times to cover dough in oil. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel (linen or flour sack is best) and let rise in a warm area (near your stove top is a great place) for 1 hour.

4. Once dough has doubled in size, oil a sheet pan or cast iron skillet with more olive oil, and drop the dough onto the prepared pan and turn it over several times to make sure it is coated in oil. Then gently stretch the dough to the size of the pan.

5. With your fingers, create indentations in the dough, pressing almost all the way down to the bottom.

6. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel again, and let rise for 1 more hour.

7. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

8. Remove the towel and brush with more olive oil (yeah, we know, it’s a lot but that’s the point!) on the dough, about 2-3 more tablespoons. Cover with your topping of choice (if you choose cheese or charcuterie, cover the pan in foil to prevent burning).

9. Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. If covered, uncover in the last 5 minutes for a lovely golden brown finish.

10. Remove bread from the pan and allow it to cool for a few minutes before serving. 

Enjoy!

Going into another weekend and need another baking project? Look no further.

One of our all-time favorite brownie recipes is adapted from The New York Times Cooking section and is the perfect marriage of glorious olive oil and decadent chocolate. We swap coffee for water and add just a touch of espresso powder to really bring out the chocolate kick and to complement the subtle spiciness of the Grove 45 Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

This is another great recipe to make as a family, and sure to become a favorite in your house too. We recommend using a high-quality sea salt, like you might find from Jacobson Salt Company or Pacific Flake Sea Salt. If you don’t have any laying around, don’t worry - regular sea salt will work just fine. 

INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons of Grove 45 Extra Virgin Olive Oil (plus additional to grease the pan)
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon sea salt (plus additional for topping)
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of espresso powder
¼ cup hot (boiling) coffee
3 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¾ cup dark brown sugar
⅓ cup granulated sugar
½ cup chocolate chips

PREPARATION
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, and grease an 8-by-8-inch square baking dish with additional olive oil. Line pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, espresso powder and hot coffee until smooth. Whisk in 6 tablespoons oil, melted chocolate, egg and vanilla.
4. Whisk in brown and granulated sugars, then fold in flour mixture, then chocolate chips. Scrape into prepared pan, and bake until set and firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Immediately sprinkle brownies with flaky salt while still warm, and let cool. Cut and serve.

Enjoy!

PS. Don’t forget to post pictures of your creation on Instagram and tag us @grove45evoo so we can share the love!