Monday’s Duo: Savory Cheese Pudding & Zesty Olive Salsa — Perfect Together or Alone
Kick off your week with two simple, flavorful recipes: a creamy, cheesy pudding requiring just cheese and eggs, paired with a lively olive salsa that adds a punch. The salsa doubles as a versatile dressing—great on salads, grilled lamb, toast, stews, or creamy soups.
🧀 Cheese Pudding
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Fresh cheese (ricotta or cottage) | 500 g |
| Hard aged cheese (Parmesan, Pecorino, or fermented cheese) | 100 g |
| Eggs | 2 |
| Salt | To taste |
| Freshly ground black pepper | Generous amount |
🫒 Olive Salsa
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Green olives | 100 g |
| Anchovy fillets | 2 |
| Pine nuts (or cashews/peeled almonds) | 2 tablespoons |
| Lemon zest | From ½ lemon |
| Fresh lemon juice | 4 tablespoons |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 5–6 tablespoons |
| Freshly ground black pepper | To taste |
🔪 Preparation Steps
Cheese Pudding:
- Ensure fresh cheese is well drained—if needed, suspend in cheesecloth for a few hours.
- Beat fresh cheese until smooth. Grate hard cheese finely, add to bowl.
- Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Mix well.
- Add eggs and mix gently with a fork until combined.
- Divide mixture into 4 small ovenproof ceramic dishes or 8 cm diameter pastry rings greased with oil.
- Bake at 200°C for 20–25 minutes until puffed and set. Let cool in the dishes.
Olive Salsa:
- Finely chop olives and anchovies together using a knife or food processor. Transfer to a bowl.
- Lightly toast pine nuts in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes, then finely chop and add to the olive mixture.
- Add lemon zest and freshly ground black pepper.
- Stir in lemon juice and olive oil until well combined.
- Refrigerate to let flavors meld; taste improves with time.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
- Remove puddings from pastry rings if used and serve warm or at room temperature.
- Accompany with toasted bread and a small spoonful of the potent olive salsa.
- Use salsa sparingly as its flavor is intense and vibrant.
- Salsa also works wonderfully as a salad dressing, lamb topping, or stirred into sauces and soups for acidity.
🧾 Final Thoughts
This cheese pudding and olive salsa pairing is a quick, satisfying combo with simple ingredients but a sophisticated taste profile. Perfect for a cozy meal or to impress with minimal effort.