Tapenade, a sexy little olive spread that originated in Provence, is a great way to use up hard cheeses that are rattling around in the back of your fridge. In this recipe, smoked almonds and honey play off the sultry-sweet notes in rustic Foja de Noce (page 184), but you don’t have to tell anyone if you change out the cheeses. Use any hard Pecorino or Parmigiano, and play around with the lemon and honey to keep the salty notes in check. Serve this with baguette rounds or pita chips, or slip it into a sandwich for a riveting surprise.
MAKES 1 CUP
¼ pound Foja de Noce, grated
⅓ cup smoked almonds
⅓ cup dry-cured Sicilian olives, pitted
1 small garlic clove
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey (preferably light-colored)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and purée until the mixture is finely chopped, about the consistency of pesto. You may need to add a couple tablespoons of water if the paste is too thick. If you don’t have a food processor, try dicing the ingredients, then use a mortar and pestle to create a paste.
Covered, this tapenade will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
