Tapenade is named from Tapéna, the Provencal word for capers.

Tapenade is a rich olive paste with a full-flavoured taste that comes with the addition of garlic, anchovies and capers.  Originally tapenade was made with a mortar and pestle, you may choose to hand chop the ingredients, if you like a coarse texture, or alternatively use a food processor or kitchen stick blender.  You may choose to vary the amount of olive oil to alter the thickness of the tapenade according to the use to which you put it.
Tapenade is delicious spread on toast triangles, foccacia or as a dip with crudités. You may toss it with pasta, or serve it with hard-boiled eggs or on grilled fish, chicken or lamb.
It will keep refrigerated for 2 – 3 weeks with a layer of olive oil on the top.

 Ingredients
35g capers in brine, rinsed and squeezed dry 
450g Kalamata olives pitted
25g anchovies including some oil
1tbsp flat-leaf parsley freshly chopped
4 cloves garlic crushed and chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
100ml olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Method
Soak capers for ten minutes and rinse several times to reduce the saltiness. Drain well and chop finely.  Coarsely chop the pitted olives and the anchovies.  Chop parsley and garlic cloves.  Place capers, olives, anchovies, in their oil, parsley, garlic, and lemon juice together in a food processor or a large bowl to whisk with a kitchen wand.  Incorporate the olive oil, slowly, blending or whizzing as you go, until you have a paste like consistency.  You may not need all the oil. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.
Spoon the paste into a sterilised glass jar, cover with a layer of olive oil and refrigerate.
Makes 500g.
Note: When refrigerated, the olive oil may solidify, making it opaque in colour.  This is a property of the olive oil and will not affect the flavour of the dish.  Simply bring the tapenade to room temperature before serving and the olive oil will return to a liquid state.

Hint: If intending to store the tapenade, to sterilize the jar, preheat the oven to low heat 120°C.  Wash jar and lid with hot soapy water or the dishwasher, rinse well with hot water.  Place jar and lid onto a baking tray in the oven for 20 minutes or until dry and you are ready to use it.  Do not dry jar with a tea towel.