Mixed Olive Tapenade

Tapenade is an olive spread from the south of France and is available in every store but, why not make it yourself. It just takes a few minutes.

Big Pete loves olives. If you gave him a loaf of bread and a good bottle of olive oil he would be very happy to make a meal of it. So....when I make tapenade he thinks I am awesome! You can make this salty spread with any kind of olives you like. I like to use a variety of olives.

You will need:

• 1 1.2 cups of pitted olives (I used a 500 ml tub of a variety of olives)
• 1 tbsp capers
• 1 clove garlic- do not use more than 1 small clove
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 anchovy or 1 inch of anchovy paste
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil

Step 1: use the kind of olives you prefer (do not use canned) Get them from an olive cart or from a speciality store. I like to buy whole olives and then I press a large knife on the olive to flatten it and make the pit easier to remove. Press the knife away from you so that if the olive squirts it is away from you. 

You can buy anchovies in a tin or you can use anchovy paste. They are available at every grocery store in the refrigerated section near where the dairy is normally kept or near the kosher pickles.

Step 2: in a food processor add all ingredients and blend until it is as smooth or chunky as you like. I prefer mine to be somewhere in the middle. You can puree until it is very smooth if you like.

You can store with more olive oil in a sealed container and it can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks....not that it ever lasts that long with Big Pete around!

Great on crackers, crostini, pizza etc....