I used to make tapenade all the time. The family loved it on challoh, and it was easy to prepare. It hit me a couple of weeks ago that I’d forgotten about it, and that it would make a nice addition to our Shabbos table. But when I looked for recipes, I saw I didn’t have all the ingredients for tapenade. I did, however, have ingredients for olivada. And that’s how a new favorite recipe came to be.

My family members gobbled up that olivada lickety split. And it truly is the easiest recipe on record. See if you don’t agree.

Olivada

Yield: 1 ¾ cup

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole, pitted kalamata olives, or whatever olives you like best—just make sure they’re pitted
• 1/3 cup virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• Ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Place first three ingredients in food processor and process until mixture is a rough paste. Add oregano and pulse once or twice.
2. Taste the olivada, and if you like, add a grind or two of fresh black pepper from a pepper mill.