Crostini with Tapenade

If you’re growing peppers in your yard and don’t know what to do with with the excess, this recipe is for you. However, starting out with store-bought roasted red peppers makes this a very easy year-round appetizer to have o­n hand in the refrigerator whenever company unexpectedly arrives.And, if you are lucky enough to be able to buy pitted olives, then this recipe should take you less than 3 minutes to prepare (minus the crostini)! Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 12 thin slices of French bread
  • 1 large clove of garlic, cut in half
  • 1/4-cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 20 large calamata or other cured olives
  • 1/2 7-ounce jar roasted peppers
  • 2 pieces of sun-dried tomatoes

Preparation Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
  2. Rub o­ne side of each slice of bread with the cut sides of the garlic. Brush the olive oil over the garlic-seasoned sides.
  3. Place the bread o­n a cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes or until golden.
  4. Meanwhile, make the tapenade.
  5. With the flat side of a heavy knife, crack the olives and remove the pits.
  6. Place the olives in a processor work bowl and process until fairly smooth. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl.
  7. Drain the roasted peppers and pat dry. Add the peppers and the sun-dried tomatoes to the olive mixture and process until smooth.
  8. To serve, spread tapenade over the bread crostini and serve at room temperature.

Additional Notes

This mixture can be stuffed into mushrooms, covered with a little mozzarella and baked until mushroom is hot and cheese has melted! A small amount of blue-veined cheese such as spanish Cabrales can be used as a garnish as in the picture.

A large clove of garlic can be processed with the original ingredients as well.To easily peel a clove of garlic, smash it with the broad side of a large knife. The skin will split and easily fall off.

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