Tapenade & Roasted Garlic Recipe

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim the top 1/4 inch off each garlic bulb to expose the top of the cloves.

Place each bulb on a square of foil. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon olive oil over exposed cloves of each bulb, then season with a pinch of coarse sea salt and black pepper. Wrap bulbs tightly in foil.

Roast in the preheated oven for 35–45 minutes, until cloves are soft, caramelized, and can be easily squeezed out. Time depends on bulb size; check at 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool in foil 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, squeeze roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into a small bowl and mash lightly with a fork. Keep warm or refrigerate until ready (can be made 3 days ahead).

In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine warm water (1.5 cups), sugar (1 tsp) and yeast (2 tsp). Stir and let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy. If it does not foam, yeast may be inactive—start again with fresh yeast.

Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the yeast mixture, then add flour (3.5 cups) and salt (1 tsp). Mix with a spoon or dough hook until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface 6–8 minutes or with a mixer and dough hook 4–5 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. Add up to 1–2 tablespoons more water or a tablespoon more flour as needed to adjust consistency.

Lightly oil a large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil, place dough inside, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 to 1¼ hours.

Prepare a 9x13-inch (or similar) baking pan by brushing it with 1–2 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer risen dough to the pan and gently stretch to fit; if it resists, let rest 10 minutes then continue.

Dimple the dough with your fingertips all over to create classic focaccia pockets. Drizzle remaining olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) over the surface, sprinkle fresh rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt over the top, then cover and let rest 20–30 minutes for a short second rise.

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Bake focaccia 18–22 minutes until golden-brown on top and cooked through. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Slice into pieces for serving.

If using whole roasted garlic cloves from the Roasted Garlic section, measure and reserve 6–8 medium cloves (about 2 tablespoons mashed). If you prefer less garlic flavor use 3–4 cloves.

Food-processor tapenade

In a food processor, combine Kalamata olives (1.5 cups), green olives (1/2 cup), rinsed capers (2 tbsp), parsley (1/4 cup), thyme leaves (1 tsp), roasted garlic (2 tbsp mashed), lemon zest (1/2 tsp) and lemon juice (1 tbsp). Pulse several times to break down ingredients, then run processor while slowly pouring in 1/4 cup olive oil until a coarse, spreadable paste forms. Stop and scrape down the bowl as needed. Season with 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and taste; add a pinch of salt only if necessary (Kalamata and capers are salty).

By-hand tapenade (no processor)

Chop olives and capers finely with a sharp knife, finely mince parsley and thyme. Mash roasted garlic into a paste and then combine all chopped ingredients in a bowl. Stir in lemon zest and juice, then fold in olive oil until well combined. Adjust texture with a bit more oil if needed.

Transfer tapenade to a serving bowl. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the top and garnish with a few parsley leaves or a sprinkle of thyme. Serve warm or at room temperature with slices of house focaccia. Leftover tapenade keeps up to 5 days refrigerated in an airtight container.