Crostini appetisers are a game-changer in any holiday party. Crostini are an easy canapé that are simple to make. They are an elegant finger food – crispy, toasted bread topped with anything you want, what’s not to love! There’s no room for wondering what to serve for your next holiday party or get-together or anytime you need a bright, flavourful snack.
All you need to start with is a baguette sliced and toasted, ready to be topped with your favourite flavour combinations. Fig and black olive tapenade crostini appetiser is a beautiful blend of slightly sweet, tangy, creamy, crunchy, and savoury all in one. Kalamata olives have a smooth texture and a very pleasant saltiness from brining, and combining them with sweet figs and tangy capers in the tapenade gives a beautiful twist to this Provençal classic. This tapenade of black olives and capers is a culinary icon in the region and a perfect drinking companion – as all salty snacks are. It is a beloved spread throughout France and can be found in most markets across the country.
You can prepare these little toasts ahead of time, or assemble them right before serving. This Fig and olive tapenade is a healthy, gluten free appetiser that’s bursting with Mediterranean flavours. Perfect on crostini!
What are Kalamata Olives??
Kalamata Olives are large dark brown olive with a smooth, meaty texture named after the city of Kalamata. They grow on trees in southern Greece and differ in colour and flavour from the regular black and green olives and are full of nutrients. They are brined in red wine vinegar and salt which helps to give them their distinct flavour. Olives are a predominant ingredient in a tapenade.
What bread to use for crostini
Use a baguette or crusty French bread that is slender in shape. The length should be about 2 1/2 to 3-inches and about 2-inches wide. Any larger and it becomes a meal like Rose Harissa Hummus with Sourdough Bread, rather than an appetiser.
I find that the lighter loaves, instead of dense and chewy, yield crisp and brittle texture after toasting, similar to croutons but not completely dried out. It’s easier to eat, although if you enjoy more chew, go with artisan loaves.
How to Slice and Season the Baguette
Cut slices of baguette (with a serrated knife) crosswise into just under ½-inch thick to give even rounds. This size makes it much easier to bite into but still has a sturdy structure. You can also cut on a bias or diagonal to give slightly more surface area. For smaller, more bite-sized appetisers, cut the slices straight across.
Brush both sides with a good quality extra-virgin olive oil with a fruity taste that will add flavor to the surface. The fat also helps make it crisper when toasting. Season with salt and pepper before baking as the seasoning sticks better to the oil, and the heat enhances the flavours better.
This fig and black olive tapenade crostini is even better the next day, as the flavours have more time to meld and further develop…It’s an ideal dip for preparing ahead, as you can simply pop it out of the fridge before serving (but do allow at least 30 minutes for it to warm up to room temperature before eating).
You can use fig and olive tapenade in many ways.
Here are some serving suggestions:
- Cheese plates: Serve tapenade in place of whole olives (or in addition to them, if you’re serving olive lovers).
- Salads: Whisk a dollop of tapenade into a vinaigrette or spoon it sparingly over tomato salad.
- Sandwiches: Tapenade is a great sandwich spread, especially with creme fraiche, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese.
- Or simply with crostini, crackers or crusty bread
Helpful tips and tricks to make fig and olive tapenade crostini :
- Always start with good bread. Baguette is preferred, or any elongated crusty bread should do. Stale bread also turns out as well as fresh. (Do not use bread with any signs of mould, however.)
- A serrated knife works best for slicing bread. Slice your bread reasonably thin, about 1/2-inch thick or just under—any thinner, and your bread might fall apart. If you are wanting larger crostini with more room for toppings, slice your bread diagonal.
- The crostini are done when they’re golden on top and sound sort of hollow when you give them a little tap.
- Even when buying pitted olives, check to ensure each olive has actually been pitted (sometimes they sneak through). To pit olives with ease, place several olives on a cutting board, then press a sturdy, large liquid measuring cup or jar down over them. The olives will break into pieces, making it easy to remove the pits.
- You can store the tapenade in the fridge in an air-tight container for 5-6 days.
.
For the Crostini: For the Tapenade 
Ingredients
method