Ever since I can remember, my mother has told me stories about picking olives from the trees in her family’s bustan (farm and olive orchards). During the picking season, from late August to October, Mama would lay a carpet underneath the olive tree and shake the branches. After the carpet was covered with olives, she’d gather them in a basket, then return home to carefully crack each olive with a small spoon, to decrease bitterness. After the olives were cracked, my mother and grandmother would pickle them in large terra-cotta pots to enjoy year-round.
Zaytoun are my favorite of all the pickles, and I could (and sometimes do!) eat them morning, noon, and night. After one zesty, slightly spicy Zaytoun, you won’t be able to stop! I love to serve my Zaytoun with fresh sliced vegetables or with Labneh (here) and Khebez Arabi (here). Zaytoun are absolutely always a part of the mezza platter, whether at home or in restaurants.Though the recipe takes four days, it’s mostly inactive, and definitely worth it! 
MAKES TWO 16-OUNCE JARS
2 pounds fresh, raw, uncured small green olives (see here)
1 cup all-natural canning and pickling salt (see here)
2 lemons, thinly sliced into rounds
6 small, hot green thai chili peppers, whole
1 small bunch fresh dill sprigs, thick stems discarded
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 fresh egg
Rinse the olives in a large colander under cold running water. Lay a clean kitchen towel or paper towels on a large cutting board and place the rinsed olives on the clean towel, working in batches.
Using a wooden pestle or a wooden spoon and rolling pin, lightly hit each olive until it cracks just slightly on one side, resulting in a small slit through the olive skin revealing the center pit. Do not remove the pit. Put the cracked olives in a large mixing bowl.
Completely cover the olives with cold water and 3 tablespoons of the canning pickling salt. Set aside on the countertop to soak for 24 hours. Drain, rinse with cold water, and return to the bowl. Submerge in fresh cold water, add 3 more tablespoons of salt and let rest for 24 hours again. Repeat the soaking/draining process until you have done it three times for three days in a row.
On the fourth day, equally divide the olives, lemon slices, thai chile peppers, and dill sprigs between the two jars. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the olives in each jar along with 3 tablespoons of salt per jar; you should have about 1 inch of headspace at the top of the jar.
Then, pour 2 cups of cold water in a large mixing bowl. Dissolve 4 tablespoons of salt in the water, then place the fresh egg in the bottom of the bowl. Wait for it to float to the top, indicating that there is enough salt in the water. If the egg does not float to the top, add another tablespoon of salt—you should use between 4 and 5 tablespoons of salt.
Once the egg has floated to the top, ladle in the salt water until the liquid level reaches about ½ inch from the top of each jar. Wipe off any excess pickling liquid from the outside of the jars and tightly seal with the canning lids.
Leave in a cool, dry place for about 4 weeks to pickle, then refrigerate and enjoy.
Note You will need two sterilized 16-ounce jars, seals, and lids.
