Make Ahead

Burrata and Olive Tapenade Crostini

by:
June 14, 2010
5
1 Ratings
Burrata and Olive Tapenade Crostini
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 30 minutes
  • Cook time 8 minutes
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

This is a simple, all-year tapenade that works great for dinner parties. The trick in preparing the recipe is to constantly monitoring the taste before adding more of any ingredient, given that many of them are sodium-heavy.

I usually serve the tapenade plated with burrata on toasted crostini as well as alongside slices of red pepper for anyone gluten-free. —timmytwinkle

Test Kitchen Notes

These crostini are an umami lover's dream. They deliver big on flavor, but building them is a breeze. I skipped the anchovy paste, and did not think a food processor was necessary: I simply chopped the tapenade ingredients finely by hand. Susankuess is right -- the tapenade is sodium-rich; I did not add salt, but it was still on the salty side for some. Next time, I might add more parsley for balance. I agree with AntoniaJames, too -- the briny tapenade makes the burrata taste sweeter and creamier by comparison. I like these for a party, because you can make the tapenade ahead, and scale the recipe up easily. The bold flavors make these crostini appear more complex than they are. —Cristina Sciarra

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound kalamata olives (or other black olives), pitted and coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 teaspoon anchovy paste
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3 teaspoons capers, drained
  • 2 tablespoons quality olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 baguette, sliced to 1/2-inch thickness
  • 2 red peppers, sliced to 1-inch thickness (optional variation for gluten- or carb-free diets)
  • 16 ounces fresh burrata or fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced to 1/4-inch thickness
Directions
  1. To make the olive tapenade, first combine the olives, anchovy paste, garlic, and capers in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse 3 to 4 times only.
  2. Add the olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, thyme, and parsley and process until chunky.
  3. Arrange the pieces of bread on a cookie sheet and brush one side of each piece with olive oil.
  4. Approximately 15 minutes before serving, toast the bread until golden brown in the oven, about 8 minutes total making sure to flip them once halfway through.
  5. On each of the slices of toast, spread the burrata (or place a slice of the fresh mozzarella) and top with your desired amount of tapenade. (Note: Reserve a portion of the tapenade to serve in a dish alongside the red pepper slices if choosing to follow the optional recipe variation.)
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6 Reviews

Greg M.
Greg M. November 8, 2020
How do you keep the burrata from running all over? I love burrata, but with its creamy center I would think that it would be a mess. Leaning towards mozzarella. Someone please explain how to make the burrata work? Thanks
 
Manhattan T.
Manhattan T. October 23, 2014
I'll soak the capers -- and maybe half of the kalamatas -- in milk (or even warm water) for 15-30 minutes prior to using to avoid the overly-salted flavor. It makes a huge difference. Can't wait to try this.
 
bruce M.
bruce M. February 3, 2014
I have found that you can temper the salt in a tapenade by substituting inexpensive canned black olives for some of the kalamata olives. They generally have a lower salt content. Experiment to find the level you prefer.
 
DAVILCHICK
DAVILCHICK January 13, 2014
Made this as for last night's appetizer even though I was very nervous about the salt issue. I went slowly (as suggested) and made it a day ahead so that everything got to mellow before serving. It was a huge hit. Huge. Great recipe!!
 
lauriepollock
lauriepollock December 22, 2013
You missed an opportunity to add wit simply by putting the cheese on one half and the tapenade on the other, creating a black&white-cookie-like effect. I've been doing this with goat cheese for years and people always smile at them. (Maybe the black&white is a New York thing, I'm not sure.
 
humangarbagedump
humangarbagedump June 15, 2010
So, is this like a dip? I really like the olive tapenade dip at Trader Joes. You could probably use that and some of those Stacy's Pita chips and it sounds AWESOME. OR...Maybe sprinkle some Shredded Mexican blend cheese on top (also TJ's) and bake it so it was like a little olive tapenade nacho. Thanks for the recipe!