Cheese And Olive Tapenade: Perfect Pairing Ideas

Olive tapenade is a salty, briny olive spread that pairs well with a variety of cheeses. While it can be served with crackers or bread, combining it with cheese can create a flavourful and textured appetizer or snack. So, which cheeses go well with olive tapenade?

Olive tapenade and goat's cheese crostini

Olive Tapenade and Goats Cheese Crostini

Ingredients

• Goat's cheese
• Olive tapenade (store-bought or homemade)
• French baguette
• Garlic clove
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Mustard
• Salt and pepper

Method

Firstly, preheat your oven to 400°F. Slice the baguette diagonally into ½-ounce slices, around ½ inch thick. Place the slices on a foil-lined baking sheet, spray or drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden.

While the bread is toasting, prepare your tapenade. If you're making your own, simply chop pitted olives and add salt and olive oil to bind the mixture. You can use a mix of black and green Manzanilla olives, or any other variety you prefer. Add a garlic clove, olive oil, lemon juice, and mustard to the mix, and pulse in a food processor until well combined.

Once the bread is toasted, spread each slice with goat's cheese, then top with a tablespoon of the olive tapenade. Garnish with thyme tips, if desired.

Serving Suggestions

These crostini are a great option for party food, snacks, or a vegetarian lunch. They can be served warm or at room temperature and are best enjoyed fresh.

Substitutions and Variations

If you're not a fan of goat's cheese, you can substitute it with another soft cheese, such as brie, ricotta, cream cheese, whipped feta, or Laughing Cow cheese wedges.

For a more indulgent option, try baking the goat's cheese before serving. Preheat your oven to 350°F, place the whole log of goat cheese on a baking tray, and bake for 5-7 minutes, until warm and slightly melted. Serve with the crostini and fresh olive tapenade.

You can also experiment with different types of olives and seasonings in your tapenade to create your own unique flavour combinations.

Olive tapenade and brie crostini

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups pitted kalamata olives, drained
• 1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large baguette, cut into even slices
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 7-ounce Supreme Brie oval, sliced

Method

• Add the olives, capers, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper to a food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times, or until coarsely chopped.
• Drizzle over the olive oil and pulse 2 to 3 times more, scraping down the sides, until evenly combined.
• Set the broiler to low.
• On a baking sheet, lay out the baguette slices and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
• Remove from the oven and add a slice of brie to each slice of bread.
• Return to the oven and broil for 2 minutes more, or until the cheese is melty.
• Place the crostini on a serving platter and top each with a spoonful of tapenade.
• Serve any remaining tapenade in a bowl with crostini and/or crackers on the side.

Tips

• Tapenade is a classic from Provence, a southeastern region of France that borders the Mediterranean Sea. It's traditionally made from black olives, but recipes have evolved to include green and kalamata olives, among others.
• If you don't have a food processor, you can simply chop the tapenade ingredients finely by hand.
• If you're serving gluten-free guests, you can plate the tapenade with brie and offer slices of red pepper instead of baguette slices.
• If you're not using all the crostini at once, you can store the toasted baguette slices in a sealed bag for a few days.

Olive tapenade and mozzarella

Mozzarella is a great cheese to pair with olive tapenade. It is a versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer, a side, or even as a light lunch. Here are some ideas and recipes for combining olive tapenade and mozzarella:

Mozzarella di Bufala and Olive Tapenade Sandwich

This sandwich recipe includes a tapenade made from pitted black olives, flat-leaf parsley, small red onion, capers, anchovy, olive oil, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. The tapenade is pureed in a blender or food processor until smooth. The sandwich is then assembled with fresh rucola, torn mozzarella di bufala, and sliced preserved lemon, with crushed black peppercorns added for seasoning.

Roasted Red Pepper Olive Tapenade and Mozzarella on Toast

This recipe combines a tapenade made from kalamata olives, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and onion powder, cumin, cardamom, and red peppers with sliced mozzarella on sourdough toast. The tapenade is processed in a food processor until finely chopped, and the dish is served immediately.

For this recipe, the tapenade is made with kalamata olives, capers, parsley, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and is served on toasted baguette slices with baked brie. The mild creaminess of the baked brie pairs well with the saltiness of the tapenade.

A more simple way to serve olive tapenade and mozzarella is as part of a summer cheese board. Fresh mozzarella is a soft, creamy cheese that goes well with the salty, briny flavour of the tapenade. This can be served with crackers or a baguette, as well as other items such as dips, crunchy snacks, and fresh fruit or vegetables.

Olive tapenade on pizza

Olive tapenade is a delicious, savoury spread that can be used to add a burst of flavour to pizzas. The salty, garlicky taste of olive tapenade pairs well with a variety of cheeses, making it a versatile ingredient for pizza toppings. Here are some tips and suggestions for creating your own olive tapenade pizza:

Cheese Suggestions

When it comes to cheese, there are several options that complement olive tapenade nicely. Here are some ideas:

• Goat cheese: Goat cheese is a popular choice for crostini topped with olive tapenade, and it can also work well on a pizza. Its creamy, tangy flavour and soft texture create an interesting contrast with the salty tapenade.
• Feta cheese: Feta is a traditional Mediterranean cheese that goes well with olive tapenade. Its salty, briny flavour echoes the flavours of the tapenade, creating a cohesive taste experience.
• Mozzarella cheese: Mozzarella is a classic pizza cheese that melts beautifully and provides a mild, creamy flavour that won't overpower the tapenade.
• Brie: Baked brie pairs wonderfully with olive tapenade, as its mild creaminess balances the saltiness of the tapenade.

Other Toppings

In addition to cheese, consider adding other toppings to enhance the flavour and texture of your pizza:

• Red onion: Thinly sliced red onions add a crunchy texture and a mild, sweet flavour that pairs well with the saltiness of the tapenade.
• Orange zest: A sprinkle of orange zest adds a bright, citrusy note that lifts the flavours of the pizza.
• Anchovies: Anchovies are a classic pairing with olives, adding a salty, briny flavour to the pizza.
• Parsley: Fresh parsley provides a colourful garnish and a bright, fresh flavour that cuts through the richness of the other ingredients.

Dough and Preparation

The type of dough and preparation method you choose can also enhance the overall taste and texture of your pizza:

• Use a food processor to make a super-easy, all-purpose tapenade that can be spread on your pizza dough.
• Prepare your dough by kneading it for 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes using a stand mixer with a dough hook. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large bowl with a teaspoon of olive oil.
• Preheat your oven to a high temperature (around 450-500°F). If using a baking stone or steel, place it in the bottom third of the oven before preheating.
• Stretch or roll out your dough into a circle, then transfer it to an oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Spread the tapenade evenly over the dough, leaving a small border.
• Sprinkle your chosen toppings and cheese over the tapenade.
• Bake the pizza until the crust is golden and the cheese has browned in spots.
• Let the pizza rest for a few minutes before serving.

Creating an olive tapenade pizza is a fun and delicious way to experiment with flavours. By choosing complementary cheeses and toppings, and using a simple dough preparation method, you can enjoy a tasty, savoury meal that brings the flavours of the Mediterranean to your table.

Olive tapenade on eggs

Olive Tapenade and Eggs

Olive tapenade is a delicious spread that can be used to elevate a simple dish like eggs on toast. Here are some ideas and recipes for combining olive tapenade with eggs:

Scrambled Eggs on Olive Tapenade Sourdough

This recipe suggests serving scrambled eggs on sourdough toast with a liberal amount of olive tapenade. To make this dish more substantial, you can add blistered tomatoes on the side. If you're serving a large group, you can stretch the eggs further by whisking in a splash of full-cream milk or cream.

Fried Eggs with Kalamata Olive Tapenade

This recipe by Theodore Kyriakou is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or a light supper. Fry two eggs in a heavy-bottomed pan until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Serve the eggs on top of sliced sourdough bread with sliced tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, and seasoning. Add a teaspoon of Kalamata olive tapenade and a small spoonful of Greek-style natural yogurt on top of each egg.

Olive Tapenade Crostini with Sunny Eggs

This recipe combines olive tapenade with a sunny side up egg on toast. Start by toasting your bread of choice and drizzling it with olive oil and garlic powder. Spread the olive tapenade on top and sprinkle with microgreens. Then, fry an egg sunny side up and place it on top of the toast. Season with flaky sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Olive Tapenade Goat Cheese Crostini

This recipe combines olive tapenade with goat cheese and a crunchy baguette. Simply toast baguette slices in the oven, spread them with goat cheese, and top with olive tapenade. You can use a mix of black olives and Manzanilla olives, or any other variety you prefer. If you're not a fan of goat cheese, you can substitute it with another soft cheese like brie, ricotta, cream cheese, whipped feta, or laughing cow cheese wedges.

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