In French, tartine means a slice of bread with jam, butter, or other spread. It’s a typical after-school snack for children. But there is nothing childlike about this grown-up version: baguette toasts covered with a savory, deliciously salty tapenade, enhanced with capers. Adding capers to olives and anchovies may seem redundantly salty, but they add another layer of flavor. As Meme grew older, her doctor told her to avoid seeds. She loved all sorts of fresh vegetables and typically “worked around” this restriction. I was happy to help her out by removing tomato seeds. Here is my way: halve the tomato crosswise through its midsection with a serrated knife. Use your index finger to scoop out the seeds from each half, then give the tomato a gentle squeeze to draw out any seeds that remain.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　3 large cloves garlic

　　2 cups pitted kalamata or other brine-cured black olives

　　4 anchovy fillets, drained

　　1 tablespoon drained capers

　　1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus thyme sprigs for garnish

　　1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

　　1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 baguette, sliced diagonally 1/4 inch thick

　　2 to 4 ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped

　　

Step 1

To prepare the tapenade, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine 2 of the garlic cloves, the olives, anchovies, capers, thyme, and rosemary. Process until almost smooth. With the machine running, gradually add 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Process the mixture until smooth. Taste and adjust for seasoning with freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

　　

Step 2

Position an oven rack 4 inches below the broiler element and preheat the broiler. To make the toasts, arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush one side with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Broil until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and broil the other side. Halve the remaining clove of garlic. Remove the toast from the oven and while warm, rub one side of each toast with the cut surface of the garlic. Transfer to a rack to cool.

　　

Step 3

Place the chopped tomatoes in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 4

To assemble, spread the toasts with a spoonful or so of tapenade. Press a spoonful of the seasoned chopped tomatoes into the tapenade to cover. Drizzle with a little of the remaining olive oil, and garnish with a small sprig of thyme.

　　

making ahead

Step 5

The tapenade can be prepared ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The toasts can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.