Tapénade is a rich olive paste with a full-flavoured taste that comes with the addition of garlic, anchovies and capers. Originally tapénade was made with a mortar and pestle; you may choose to hand chop the ingredients, if you like a coarse texture, or alternatively use a food processor or kitchen whiz wand. You may also choose to vary the amount of olive oil to alter the thickness of the tapénade according to the use to which you put it.
Tapénade is delicious spread on toast triangles, focaccia or as a dip with crudités. You may toss it with vegetables; serve with hard-boiled eggs or on grilled fish, chicken or lamb, added to your Salade Niçoise, or to your ratatouille. Here I spread it on my spicy seed biscuits and sprinkled the top with some feta
It will keep refrigerated for 2 – 3 weeks with a layer of olive oil on the top.
This quantity makes 500g.
450g Kalamata olives pitted
25g anchovies including some oil
35g capers in brine, rinsed and squeezed dry
4 cloves garlic crushed and chopped
1T flat-leaf parsley freshly chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
100ml olive oil
Juice of½ lemon
Soak capers for ten minutes and rinse several times to reduce the saltiness. Drain well and chop finely. Coarsely chop the pitted olives and the anchovies. Chop parsley and garlic cloves. Place capers, olives, anchovies, in their oil, garlic, parsley and lemon juice together in a food processor or in a large bowl to whisk with a kitchen wand. Incorporate the olive oil, slowly, blending or whizzing as you go, until you have a paste-like consistency. You may not need all the oil. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.
Spoon the paste into a sterilized glass jar, cover with a layer of olive oil and refrigerate.
Note: When refrigerated, the olive oil may solidify, making it opaque in colour. This is a property of the olive oil and will not affect the flavour of the dish. Simply bring the tapénade to room temperature before serving and the olive oil will return to a liquid state.
Hint: to sterilize the jar, preheat the oven to low heat 120°C. Wash jar and lid with hot soapy water or the dishwasher, rinse well with hot water. Place jar and lid onto a baking tray in the oven for 20 minutes or until dry and you are ready to use it. Do not dry jar with a tea towel.
