Tapenade Olive Dip Recipe from Beyond the Greek Salad Cookbook
By Ruth Bardis
Tapenade (Olive) Dip | Παστά ελιάς
Serves: 1 jar
Time: 10 minutes
Gluten-Free
This recipe is from the award-winning cookbook "Beyond the Greek Salad", which was awarded The 2020 Gourmand Harvest Award (Australia) for Mediterranean Cooking.
Go to the region of Kalamata, and the olive that you will eat will be the Kalamon variety! They are unquestionably eaten day-to-day at a Greek table, and the Peloponnese people pride themselves in the export and consumption of these olives. They are preserved in red wine vinegar and olive oil. The large, almond-shaped, purply-black, plump olives are very meaty and balanced in their acidity. Classified as a fruit, the olive is formed from the “ovary of the olive flower.” The pit (known as a seed-bearing structure), if planted, can grow into a tree.
Kalamata olives cannot be harvested green and therefore are handpicked to avoid any bruising. Ever so versatile, these olives array an antipasto menu, add so much flavour to Greek salads, and make a delicious olive dip like no other.
This is very easy to make and very addictive, so you may want to double the quantity.
Ingredients
- 2 cups real authentic Kalamata olives and then pit them
- 2 tablespoons Greek wild capers
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil - must be of very high quality
- 5 brined anchovies*
- Natural Sea Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Place olives and capers into a food processor. Process to combine until mixture is a coarse paste.
Add the remaining ingredients and pulse again to combine well. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Refrigerate in a sealed jar for up to one week.
*Do not be tempted to omit anchovies if you do not like them. Once the dip is combined, you will not be able to taste any fishiness. It is a crucial ingredient to give this dip its beautiful flavour.
Kali Orexi!
