Provencal tapenade of olives and dried tomatoes

This tapenade of olives and dried tomatoes is something more rustic than the conventional one, since the texture has more body, making it very versatile to use, allowing us to enjoy small explosions of delicious flavor in each bite.

The tapenade, whose name comes from the Provencal word 'tapéna' which means 'caper', is a kind of olive pate very popular from Provence, where it is believed that it was created by the French chef Jean-Baptiste Reboul back in the year 1880, specifically in the old restaurant 'La Maison Dorée' in Marseille, despite being very typical pasta made from olives until that date.

Another difference of this tapenade compared to the usual is the variety of its ingredients, as well as olives and capers, it has ingredients that give an irresistible degree of sweetness and acidity, such as dried tomatoes and lemons; and delicate aromatic notes provided by the basil.

Thus, its flavor is alive and intense, aromatic and with a refreshing citric point that, together with its fleshy texture, makes it ideal to take it as a starter, on slices of toasted bread alone or smeared with plant-based ricotta cheese, as a stuffing of Portobello mushrooms, artichoke hearts or lettuce hearts; or to accompany with rich sticks of polenta flavor parmesan.

Regarding its nutrients, this is a recipe rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, fiber, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, alliin, beta carotene, lycopene, caffeic acid, essential oils, vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B6 (pyridoxine), C and E, calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, selenium, sodium and iodine.