Tasting notes for a number of our in-store products
Three Cheese Ravioli
Our handmade dough from local flour, hand shaped into raviolis filled with Asiago, Provalone, and Ricotta Cheezes. Delightful when served with a drizzle of oil and maybe a chiffonade of basil.
Pomodori Agrodolci
"tomatoes sweet and sour"
Rich, intense, concentrated flavor comes from roasting farm tomatoes for 12 hours. Each jar of "pomodori agrodolci" contains approximately 2 pounds of tomatoes, cooked down into an incredible essence . use as a tapenade on hot crusty bread, top a bowl of hot pasta with our pomodori for a delicious, easy sauce, or add a tablespoon into your own batch of homemade sauce to give it more depth
Cipollini Agrodolci
“Little onion sweet and sour”
Slow simmered Vidalia onions, reduced and caramelized down into a sweet and concentrated confit-like sauce. Try it over a soft cheese such as cream cheese or Brie with bread as a snack or appetizer, over hamburgers or grilled meat, on grilled salmon, pork roast or as a pizza topping.
Lemon-Basil Pesto
Made with only the freshest ingredients, including basil we grow ourselves. Our pesto is made with a whole lemon to bring a zing to whatever dish you add it to, whether it is pasta, grilled chicken breast or fish. We add no pine nuts (or nuts of any kind) or cheese, and invite you to add those ingredients yourself for a traditional-style pesto, or use as is.
House-made Rustic Pappardalle
Our fresh, hand-made, hand-cut pasta, made from local flour & free-range eggs, olio rustico and sea salt. Lightly dried and then frozen, this pasta will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Cooking is as simple as throwing the frozen pasta into boiling water for 3 minutes. Dress simply with olive oil & cracked black pepper, or with a hearty robust sauce.
House-made Savory Pumpkin Ravioli
Made with the same dough as used for our pappardalle, our ravioli is also hand made, and filled with a mixture of pumpkin, sautéed garlic & onions, herbs and spices. As with the pappardalle, the ravioli is best when dressed simply with olive oil, or maybe a brown butter sauce.
Rustic Italian Tomato & Bread Soup
A delicious soup made with fresh farmers market heirloom tomatoes, our focaccia and olio rustico, and seasonings. While the soup is creamy, there is no dairy product used – the creaminess comes from an emulsion of the focaccia and the oil. Delicious as a cold or hot soup, it is also wonderful when used as a sauce on pasta or over grilled chicken or shrimp.
Robusto Sauce
Our pasta sauce is made with fresh farmers market heirloom tomatoes (same ones used for our soup), loads of fresh basil, onions and garlic and cooked into a deep, full-bodied robust sauce that is the perfect compliment to our pappardelle pasta or any rustic pasta. This is a meat-free sauce, though it doesn’t taste like it.
Balsamico
Authentic balsamic comes only from Modena, Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. The family that produces our balsamic has had 5 generations in which to perfect the recipe. This balsamic is made from the Trebbiano grape, a white grape grown throughout Italy & also used for wine. Our balsamic is aged for 6 - 8 years, one each in Oak, Juniper, Acacia, Chestnut, Cherry & Mulberry wooden vats. The family ages their balsamic up to 50 years. Our balsamic is intense and concentrated; it is delicious drizzled over grilled or roasted vegetables, grilled meats, grilled fruit (think grilled pineapple, peaches or cantaloupe), salad greens such as Arugula, and simply sublime on fresh fruit. Try a few drops over lemon sorbet!
Biologico Olive Oil
From the Campania region of Italy, this is our lightest and most delicate oil. While delicate, the Biologico is also the most complex of our three oils, with the flavor evolving on the palate from front to finish. The Biologico has a citrus-flavor undertone that comes from the lemon groves that grow side by side with the olive groves, right outside of Naples. This is the oil of choice when making pesto or drizzling over fish, chicken piccata or any delicate-flavored foods.
Umbro Olive Oil
From the Umbria region of Italy, near the town of Assisi. Umbro is our most balanced oil, with a mild flavor on the front of the palate and a peppery bite in the back of the throat. This oil is the most versatile for food-pairing because of its balance –it will pair nicely with just about anything. It is especially good drizzled over pasta with just a touch of cheese grated over top, or mixed with fresh lemon juice & diced shallots for a salad dressing.
Rustico Olive Oil
This oil hails from Sicily, near the town of Ragusa. Unfiltered, the Rustico is the most rustic and robust oil. It has a grassy, green olive flavor profile that will pair beautifully with bold & acidic foods. It is the oil of choice for Caprese salad and bruschetta (broo-skeh-tah).
Cooking instructions for oliva bella’s fresh ravioli
- in freezer, use within 3 months
- add frozen ravioli to lightly salted boiling water, cook for 3-5 minutes (for best results, do not thaw first)
- drizzle with oliva bella olio umbro and a dusting of nutmeg , lemon zest, & fresh cracked black pepper
- or make a sauce of browned unsalted butter and sage
- as the fresh pasta absorbs the salt from the cooking water, we advise you taste before salting finished dish
Cooking instructions for oliva bella’s fresh pappardelle
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in freezer, use within 3 months
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add frozen pasta to lightly salted boiling water, cook for 1 – 3 minutes (for best results, do not thaw first)
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drizzle with oliva bella olio and fresh cracked black pepper
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pappardelle is classically served with hearty sauces such as ragu
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as the fresh pasta absorbs the salt from the cooking water, we advise you taste before salting finished dish