Supplying some of the best artisanal Italian products, Seggiano is a haven for food lovers. These recipes use high quality ingredients to elevate simple but effective recipes to keep you well-fed this winter
Sicilian ancient wholewheat busiate pasta with wild fennel pesto
Daylight savings is over and the nights are drawing in. And if there's one thing that's going to get us through the darkest months of winter, it's good food. While we love nothing more than putting our heart and soul into a stew or a roast or a pie that sits or hours on the stove, quietly bubbling away and filling the house with olfactory joy, the reality is that on a cold, dreary weekday evening all we want is something quick and effective to warm our cockles.
In steps Seggiano. The brand started in 1995 when Peri Eagleton and David Harrison began bottling extra virgin olive oil from their organic olive grove by the village of Seggiano, on the northern flank of Monte Amiata southern Tuscany. Unsurprisingly, demand for this creamy delicate oil quickly grew. Over the subsequent 28 years they have meticulously added further best in category Italian larder stables to their repertoire, including everything from pasta, pesto, rice and honey to balsamic vinegars, biscotti, flatbreads and grissini, as well as a full range of Christmas classics, all vegetarian, many vegan.
They're a go-to for taking quick, easy recipes to the next level. When you want something that comes together in minutes using the finest quality ingredients makes all the difference, as these winter recipes using some of Seggiano's finest ingredients prove. From Sicilian ancient wholewheat busiate pasta with wild fennel pesto to rice and corn cavatappi pasta infused with lemon oil and caper butter, and the comfort of bean and quinoa soup garnished with ready-to-eat chestnuts and a drizzle of chilli oil. Each dish embodies the fusion of tradition and innovation, offering a taste of Italy's culinary heritage.
Busiate with fennel pesto, roasted tomatoes and garlic breadcrumbs
Simple but effective, this pasta elevates your classic tomato sauce with the aniseed hit of pesto and crunchy breadcrumbs
Serves 2-4
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the pasta
1 bulb fennel
Lunaio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
250g Seggiano Ancient Wholewheat Busiate
Approx. 160g Seggiano Sicilian Wild Fennel Pesto
2 tbsp Seggiano Oven Roasted Tomatoes, drained
For the breadcrumbs
2 tbsp Seggiano Garlic Oil
4 heaped tbsp breadcrumbs
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 190C (fan). Trim and discard the fennel stalks and any tough outer layers but keep the fronds to one side. Cut the bulb in half vertically, then slice into thin wedges, around 1/2cm each. Toss the wedges in a mixing bowl with a glug of oil and a pinch of salt. Arrange in one layer on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and roast for 25-30 minutes, until soft and starting to char.
Meanwhile, pour two tablespoons of garlic oil into a frying pan and set over a medium/high heat. When the oil is hot, add the breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt. Toast the breadcrumbs until golden, stirring continuously to make sure they don’t burn. Tip onto a plate that you’ve lined with kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil. Set aside and leave to cool.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt it heavily. Cook the busiate according to pack instructions, until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving a mug full of the cooking water. Tip the pasta back into the pan it was cooking in (but turn the heat off). Spoon in the pesto and stir through, adding a splash of the cooking water and tossing vigorously until it coats the pasta well. Stir though the fennel and the roasted tomatoes. Divide onto warm plates, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and garnish with fennel fronds. Serve immediately.
Gluten free Cavatappi with lemon and caper butter
Bright lemon oil lifts this simple dish from easy staple to something special
Quick to pull together but entirely impressive, this cavatappi is the definition of simple but effective
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt it heavily. Add the pasta and cook according to pack instructions.
Meanwhile, melt the butter with the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the capers, the juice and zest of 1/2 lemon and the thyme salt. Let this bubble away while the pasta cooks.
Drain the pasta, reserving a mug full of the cooking water. Tip the pasta into the sauce and toss to combine, adding a splash of the cooking water if needed. Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon or thyme salt if needed. Divide onto warm plates and serve immediately.
Bean and quinoa soup with chestnuts and chilli oil
This hearty, filling soup is a quintessential winter warmer
Using the premade Seggiano soup makes this a super speedy meal to whip up
Serves 2
Preparation time 5 minutes
Cooking time 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 tbsp Seggiano Chilli Oil, plus more to serve
8 Seggiano Ready to Eat Chestnuts
550g Seggiano Bean & Quinoa Soup
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or Seggiano semi-fresh parsley herbs as an alternative
Seggiano Classic Ligurian Flatbreads, to serve
Method
Heat the chilli oil in a frying pan over a medium/high heat. When the oil is shimmering, crumble the chestnuts in and add a pinch of salt. Cook until the chestnuts are golden and starting to crisp up, stirring with a wooden spoon so they don’t catch. Tip the chestnuts onto a plate and leave to cool.
Warm the soup gently in saucepan over a medium heat. Divide between two warm bowls, top with the chestnuts, chopped parsley and another drizzle of chilli oil before serving alongside the Ligurian flatbreads.
