Black olive tapenade with roast aubergine and warm flatbread

Serves - 4

You’ll need

• 2 medium aubergines
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the flatbreads
• 150g black olives, pitted
• 1 tbsp capers
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Small handful basil, finely chopped, optional
• 4 flatbreads
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Get the aubergines roasting

Heat the oven to 220°C fan. Cut the aubergines into thick wedges or chunky slices and put them into a roasting tray. Add the olive oil, a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper, then toss well so everything is properly coated. Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway through, until soft in the middle and nicely golden at the edges. Aubergine wants proper colour here – pale and spongy is not the brief.

2. Make the tapenade

While the aubergine roasts, put the black olives, capers, garlic, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil into a food processor and pulse until you have a rough paste. You want it textured rather than completely smooth – something with a bit of character, not a black purée with no life left in it.

3. Add the herbs

Scrape the tapenade into a bowl and stir through most of the parsley and basil if using, keeping a little back for the finish. Give it a taste. It should be punchy, salty and sharp enough to wake the aubergine up nicely.

4. Warm the flatbreads

Once the aubergine is nearly ready, warm the flatbreads in the oven for 2–3 minutes, or in a dry frying pan if that suits you better. Brush or drizzle them lightly with olive oil first if you want them a little softer and more generous.

5. Bring it all together

Arrange the roast aubergine on a platter or serving plates and spoon over the tapenade, or serve the tapenade alongside for people to help themselves. Scatter over the remaining herbs so it all looks as fresh as it tastes.

6. Serve

Serve straight away with the warm flatbreads on the side. Very good as a starter, part of a spread, or a lighter supper if the mood is right.

A couple of helpful notes

- Go a little carefully with extra salt in the tapenade until you have tasted it – the olives and capers may already have plenty to say for themselves.
- If you want a softer, silkier aubergine, roast it a little longer rather than pulling it early. It improves with confidence.
- A few toasted pine nuts over the top would work very nicely if you want a little more texture.