Caviale dei Poveri
Instructions:
- 1 pound oil-cured black olives, pitted (450 g)
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and dried
- 1 clove of garlic, coarsely chopped
- 2 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained and cut into pieces
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Very thin lemon slices, without peel or pith, quartered (optional)
- I like to serve this spread on rounds of brown bread. If you do so, garnish each canape with a quarter slice of lemon on top.
- Prepare the garnish by removing all the yellow peel and white pith from the lemon; slice the lemon very thin and cut each slice into 4 pie-shaped wedges.
- Put all the ingredients except the oil and lemon slices in a blender or a food processor and process until coarsely chopped.
- Add the oil in a trickle, as for mayonnaise.
- Do not add too much oil; the olives must have time to absorb it.
- And do not overprocess; the finished spread must be the consistency of caviar or tapenade.
- NOTE: A blender works better than a food processor for this. Stop to scrape down the sides when necessary. If preparing the spread well in advance, add the lemon juice just before serving to maintain the fresh flavor