Black Olive Tapenade Crostini (Printer View)

Briny black olives and herbs combined and served on crisp crostini for an elegant starter.

# What you'll need:

→ Black Olive Tapenade

01 - 2 cups pitted black olives (Kalamata or Niçoise preferred)
02 - 2 tablespoons capers, drained
03 - 4 anchovy fillets in oil, drained (optional for vegetarian)
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)

# Method:

01 - Set the oven to 400°F (200°C).
02 - Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush both sides lightly with olive oil.
03 - Bake bread rounds for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once halfway through, until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and rub the cut side of the garlic clove over each crostini. 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 the mixture forms a coarse paste, scraping down the sides as needed.
06 - Adjust seasoning with freshly ground black pepper and additional lemon juice to taste.
07 - Transfer tapenade to a serving bowl and accompany with prepared crostini.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Easy to prepare flavorful appetizer
  • Perfect for festive sharing
02 -
  • For a vegan tapenade omit anchovies and add extra capers and miso or soy sauce for depth
  • Crostini can be prepared a day ahead and stored airtight
03 -
  • Use Kalamata or Niçoise olives for authentic flavor
  • Adjust olive oil amount to achieve desired tapenade texture
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