Serves 8-10
Olive Crackers
1½ cups wholemeal flour
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg
150ml water
1 tbsp melted butter
100g pecorino, finely grated
2 tbsp black olives,
finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted, crushed
Soft ash coated goat’s cheese, to serve
Infused Olives
3 lemons, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled, sliced
4 sprigs rosemary
1 tsp dill seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cardamom seeds
4 fresh bay leaves
1 tsp whole black
peppercorns
500ml extra virgin olive oil
500g large green olives
2 green chillies
To make the crackers, preheat oven to 190°C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Place flours, sugar and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Add black olives, and pecorino.
Whisk egg and mix with water and butter. With the mixer motor running, slowly pour the liquid in. As soon as the mix forms a ball stop the machine, knead by hand until smooth. Wrap in plastic and chill for 1 hour in the fridge.
Roll out dough with a rolling pin. Place on baking sheets and brush with water then sprinkle over roughly ground cumin seeds.
Cut into strips, then rectangles and bake between two sheets of baking paper and two metal trays. Cook for approximately 20-30 minutes or until lightly coloured and very crisp.
To infuse olives, place all the ingredients except olives in a saucepan over low heat, and cook 5 minutes, to release all the flavours.
Place all the ingredients into a large, clean jar. Pour over the flavoured oil mixture to completely cover the olives and spices. Seal and set aside in a cool dry place to let the olives be infused with the flavours, up to a week.
Serve olive crackers with goat’s cheese, which is at room temperature, and the olives.
Inspiration for the infused
olives comes from Smith & Daughters: A Cookbook
(That Happens To Be Vegan), available at mindfood.com.
