Flavourful Olive Tapenade Appetizer

These small Olive Tapenade Appetizers are bursting with flavour from olives and sundried tomatoes.

I love olives. Salty, briny, and flavourful, they are the perfect accompaniment to cheese, bread, pasta, and charcuterie. This appetizer is inspired by Italian flavours, but these delicious little stone fruit are used in many cuisines all over the world. Cured, fermented, brined, or turned into beautiful olive oil, they have a myriad of uses and styles. My favourite style are green olives stuffed with garlic and jalepenos, but I will happily eat any olive anytime.

I’ve been making this delicious Olive Tapenade Appetizer for years. It’s one of my go to party appetizers and it’s always a hit whenever I serve it. Although it looks time consuming and complicated, this tasty olive tapenade puff pastry recipe is simple to prepare, and comes together in under an hour.

Although these Olive Tapenade Appetizers are small, they are bursting with flavour. The tangy olives and savoury sundried tomatoes are perfectly complimented by the sharp Parmesan while the buttery puff pastry wraps it all up in a delicious appetizer. I’m sure once you try this recipe you’ll find excuses to make it again and again.

TOTAL TIME

• Preparation Time – 15 minutes
• Cooking Time – 14 minutes, 20 minutes chilling time
• Total Time – 49 minutes

INGREDIENTS FOR THIS OLIVE TAPENADE APPETIZER

All the ingredients for this olive tapenade puff pastry recipe are easy to source from any local grocer.

OLIVE TAPENADE

• 3/4 cup Pitted Olives, mixed
• 1/3 cup Sundried Tomatoes, in olive oil
• 1 Shallot
• 1 cup Finely Grated Parmesan
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 1 pinch Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

OLIVE TAPENADE APPETIZER

• 1 sheet Puff Pastry
• 1 large Egg
• 1 tbsp Water
• 1/4 cup Fine Grated Parmesan

WHAT IS KOSHER SALT?

Kosher salt has larger crystals than regular iodized salt. Although it is mined from traditional salt mines, it is less processed than normal table salt. It has larger flakes which make it easier to distribute, and therefore less likely to over salt your dish. It also adds some brine, flavour, and crunch.

WHAT KIND OF OLIVES SHOULD I USE IN THIS TAPENADE?

I used a mixture of Kalamata, Baresane, and Cerignola olives. There are many kinds of olives, and you can use whatever flavours you prefer for this tapenade appetizer as long as they are fresh.

WHAT ARE SUNDRIED TOMATOES?

Sun dried tomatoes are exactly what the name implies: tomatoes with the majority of their water content drawn out after an extended time drying in the sun. I use sundried tomatoes that have been packed in olive oil in this recipe, but you can also buy them dry.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

CAN I USE REGULAR ONION INSTEAD OF SHALLOTS?

If you’d like you can use a red onion instead a shallot. They are quite similar in taste, and your tapenade will still be delicious.

CAN I SUBSTITUTE PRE GRATED PARMESAN FOR FRESH?

Absolutely not. Pre grated Parmesan is a totally different product than fresh Parmesan. Fresh Parmesan is a beautiful sharp hard cheese that I use in most of my pasta recipes. It has a salty tang that is the perfect addition to any pasta dish, and adds a wonderful flavour to this appetizer. Pre packaged Parmesan is processed and packed with chemicals that keep it shelf stable. It tastes nothing like fresh.

CAN I USE ONLY ONE KIND OF OLIVE IN THE TAPENADE?

If you’d prefer you can use one kind of olive in this appetizer. I prefer using a mix of different olives to create a more complex flavour in the tapenade.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHEESE IN THIS RECIPE?

This recipe needs a sharp salty cheese to compliment all the other elements in this dish. Either Pecorino or Grana Padano cheese would work well also.

EQUIPMENT FOR OLIVE TAPENADE APPETIZER

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Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make this olive tapenade puff pastry recipe.

• Baking Sheets – These Nordic Ware baking sheets are the best baking sheets I’ve ever owned. I’ve purchased expensive baking sheets by big brand names, but these reasonably priced Nordic Ware are far superior. They are lightweight, clean easily, cook evenly, and never warp. I can’t recommend these highly enough.

• Parchment Paper – I highly recommend lining your pan with parchment paper as it makes cleanup from your delicious focaccia much easier.

• Kitchen Aid Food Processor – I use my Kitchen Aid Food Processor whenever I need to to finely chop and puree vegetables or a sauce. It works beautifully to chop the ingredients of this tapenade into a fine consistency similar to a pesto.

• Cheese Grater

• Kitchen Knife

• Cutting Board

COOKING DIRECTIONS

These Olive Tapenade Appetizers are easy to prepare as well as delicious provided you follow a few simple tips:

1. Use freshly grated Parmesan.
2. Give your rolled puff pastry appetizer time to firm up in the fridge before cutting it.
3. Use the freshest brined olives that you can find.

MAKE AHEAD STORAGE

You can prepare the olive tapenade up to three days in advance for this recipe.

This Olive Tapenade Appetizer is best served fresh out of the oven and does not keep well as a leftover.

FINISHED DISH

Enjoy these delicious Olive Tapenade Appetizers!

OTHER APPETIZERS

Puff Pastry with Brie and Fig Jam Appetizer

Mango Salsa Recipe

Amazing Rosemary, Olive, and Goat Cheese Focaccia

OTHER VEGETARIAN DISHES

Easy Avocado Toast with Fried Egg and Mushrooms

Roasted Crispy Cauliflower Tacos

OTHER DISHES WITH OLIVES

Flavourful Focaccia Meatball Sandwich

Moroccan Sweet and Savory Chicken Pita

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

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