Briny black olives, capers, and herbs combined with crisp crostini for a flavorful Mediterranean delight.
# What You'll Need:
→ Black Olive Tapenade
01 - 2 cups pitted black olives (Kalamata or Niçoise preferred)
02 - 2 tablespoons drained capers
03 - 4 anchovy fillets in oil, drained (optional for vegetarian; omit for vegan)
04 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
07 - 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
09 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Crostini
10 - 1 baguette, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
11 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 1 garlic clove, halved (for rubbing)
# Directions:
01 - Heat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush both sides lightly with olive oil.
03 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and rub tops with halved garlic clove. Let cool.
04 - In a food processor, pulse black olives, capers, anchovy fillets (if using), garlic, parsley, lemon juice, and thyme until coarsely chopped.
05 - With the processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until mixture forms a coarse paste, scraping sides as needed.
06 - Adjust seasoning with black pepper and additional lemon juice to taste.
07 - Transfer tapenade to a serving bowl and accompany with prepared crostini.
