Roulades à la tapenade et au haloumi

( Olive tapenade and haloumi swirls )

Olive tapenade has been used in Provençal cooking for over 2000 years, probably because the olive tree was one of the few trees resilient enough to survive the harsh climatic conditions of the area. Olives have been cultivated for millennia and used in all manner of products, from olive oils and pickles, to hair conditioners and herbal medicines. I have loved eating olives since I was a child, but it wasn’t until I started working in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Marseille (which featured olives and tapenades in many of its fine dishes) that I realised how versatile they truly were and how, with a little bit of imagination, they could be used in almost any capacity, from condiments for meats and fish, to spreads for breads and crackers, and even desserts.

These roulades are made with a green olive tapenade — a name derived from the Provençal word for capers, tapenas — which is made by crushing olives, capers and anchovies with olive oil. This miraculous concoction can be stored almost indefinitely in your fridge, and used on toast, spread over a grilled steak, used as you would pesto on pasta, or as a condiment to flavour sauces and creams.

Makes about 80

note : You will need to give an additional single turn to the puff pastry, to refine the layers of pastry and to stop the roulade from expanding excessively during the baking process.

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) cold Puff Pastry, 6 single turns

olive oil, for pan-frying

300 g (10½ oz) haloumi cheese, roughly chopped

Olive tapenade

300 g (10½ oz) green olives, pitted

50 g (1³/₄ oz) small capers in brine, drained

50 g (1³/₄ oz) anchovy fillets

juice of 1 lemon

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

80 ml (2³/₄ fl oz) virgin olive oil, plus extra, if needed

L To make the tapenade, put the olives, capers, anchovies, lemon juice and pepper in a food processor. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil and process until a thick, spreadable paste forms. You may need to add a little extra oil to achieve the right consistency. Transfer to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

L Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface into a 2 mm (¹/₁₆ in) thick rectangle measuring about 35 x 40 cm (14 x 16 in). Remember to keep moving the dough and dust with extra flour when necessary so that it doesn’t stick to your work surface. Towards the end of rolling, feel free to use your hands to stretch the pastry into shape. For these small roulades, it is important that the pastry is rolled no thicker than 2 mm (¹/₁₆ in) or the spiral will come undone during baking. Cut the rectangle in half lengthways so you end up with two 40 cm (16 in) long strips, then dust a little flour over the top. Place on a lined tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

L Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. As soon as the oil begins to smoke, add the haloumi and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously until light golden all over. Remove and drain on paper towel and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

L Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Take one half of the pastry out of the fridge and place it on the work surface, with one long side facing you. Using a spatula, spread half of the tapenade evenly over the top of the pastry, then scatter with half of the haloumi. Use the palm of your hand to gently push down on the haloumi. Roll the pastry up into a tight roulade, starting from the top left-hand corner and working your way across to the right. Put the roulade in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up. Repeat the process with the remaining pastry, tapenade and haloumi.

L Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two large baking trays with baking paper. Remove one roulade from the freezer and place it, seam side down, on a cutting board. Using a large knife, cut the roulade into 1 cm (½ in) thick slices, holding it in shape while cutting. Pick up one piece at a time, then place on the lined baking trays, spacing them about 3 cm (1¼ in) apart. Place a piece of baking paper on top of the pastries and cover with another baking tray. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 170°C (340°F), remove the top tray and paper and bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden. Remove and cool on wire racks. Repeat with the remaining roulade.

L Serve warm or at room temperature. The subtle saltiness of the tapenade and delicate flakiness of the puff pastry make these roulades an ideal canapé. Serve them with some cheese and a glass of wine, or with pâté or pork rillettes.

tips

If you want to freeze the roulades, do so before cooking them: wrap the sliced roulade pieces in plastic wrap. To cook, place the frozen roulade slices in the fridge to thaw, then bake as per the recipe instructions.

To achieve a perfectly circular shape, use a round cutter that best fits the size of your roulades and use that to cut the excess pastry off as soon as they come out of the oven.