jammy shallot agrodolce with whipped cottage cheese and fried bread
it's giving "the perfect appetizer"
the ingenious base for this dip is what sets it apart. some might say we’re in a collective “cottage cheese era,” and i’m happy to accept that as an explanation for why i’ve been seeing it pop up in tons of recipes lately.
the whipped cottage cheese recipe comes directly from jenny’s table, which i first tried when i was developing these croissant toasts. it was quickly abandoned there as i found it much too salty to be used in this sweet-leaning dish, but i knew the day was close at hand where it would find its proper place, and i was right.
topped with a seedy, jammy shallot agrodolce (italy’s take on the classic sweet / sour flavor combination), the whipped cottage cheese makes an ideal salty, creamy foundation that really rounds everything out, pulling together all the tangy, sweet, spicy, salty and sour notes to create a harmonious bite. the oily, crisp and chewy fried bread is (imho) the perfect vessel to take that dip from plate to mouth. watch me make it here.
some dips lend themselves well as a cornerstone to a lunch or dinner snack plate, but this is not one of them. this is a dip that prepares you to eat more. a dip that will whet your appetite and unlock your palette for the plates that follow. a dip that gives appetizer, not snack.
that being said, the agrodolce itself would be so good with a roasted vegetable, so you could remix the recipe by layering some simple oven-roasted carrots, fennel or broccoli (or even chicken thighs or a lamb roast tbh) in between a swipe of the whipped cottage cheese and the sweet-sour shallots.
if cottage cheese is not your thing—whipped or otherwise—i’m extremely sorry to hear that and would say maybe it’s worth another shot…? but of course there are some swaps for the cottage cheese not-so-inclined: labneh, greek yogurt or whipped ricotta (follow the same method as outlined below in step 3).
serves 4 as an appetizer
for the agrodolce, can be made up to 3 days in advance
2 chilis
2 pitted medjool dates
6 large shallots (about 200 grams)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoon sunflower seeds
125 milliliters apple cider vinegar
50 grams honey
for the whipped cottage cheese, can be made up to 3 days in advance
250 grams cottage cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
to assemble
4 thick slices crusty bread (like a sourdough or country loaf)
6 tablespoons olive oil (it sound like a lot, and that’s because it is, but hey, we’re making fried bread — fried! bread!)
flaky salt
pepper
olive oil for serving
mint and basil leaves for serving
thinly slice chilis. roughly chop dates. peel and slice shallots into rings (aim for 1/4 inch, 2/3 cm).
add olive oil to a small frying pan over medium heat. once hot, add shallots and arrange so that as many of the flat sides of the shallots are in touch with the pan as possible. do not stir, let cook for about 5 minutes or until the shallots are visibly golden around the edges, then stir and let cook another 5 minutes, or until the shallots are quite soft.
add coriander, sesame, sunflower seeds, chilis, dates, apple cider vinegar and honey. season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil; the scent is strong here due to the reducing vinegar, so don’t forget to ventilate and be prepared for an intense, eye-watering experience if you lean over the pan and inhale (i do not recommend lol). once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the shallots are super soft and jammy, about 15 minutes. to store for later, let cool completely then transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge.
in the meantime, add cottage cheese and olive oil to a food processor. blend until very smooth and light, at least one minute. to store for later, transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge.
heat half the olive oil in a cast iron pan over medium heat. once hot, add the bread to the pan. drizzle the remaining olive oil directly onto the bread and let cook until the bottom is a deep golden brown and very crisp, about 2 minutes. flip, season with flaky salt, and let cook for another minute or two until deeply burnished.
once the shallots are finished, set aside to cool slightly; if you made the shallots or the whipped cottage cheese ahead of time, set out about 30 minutes before serving. spread the whipped cottage cheese onto a rimmed plate. spoon the shallots over the top. garnish with freshly cracked black pepper, olive oil and some herbs. serve with the warm fried bread on the side for dipping.