Spicy Salami Sandwich With Olive Tapenade and Goat Cheese Recipe

By
Marvin Gapultos
A photo of Marvin Gapultos, a contributing writer at Serious Eats
Marvin Gapultos
Marvin Gapultos is a Certified Cicerone and the author of the Filipino food blog, Burnt Lumpia, and two cookbooks: The Adobo Road Cookbook and Pulutan!.
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Updated Jun. 18, 2019

A muddy, ruddy mix of mashed black olives and capers may not look very appetizing, but the Mediterranean paste packs a salty, earthy wallop that goes well with most anything dipped into it. Although you can purchase jarred tapenade at the store, it's easy enough to make at home—just blitz a handful of black olives, along with a few garlic cloves, some drained capers, and fresh parsley in a food processor. A splash of red wine vinegar, and a spritz of lemon juice add acidity and brightness, while olive oil helps to bind everything together.

Tapenade is often served as a dip or spread but also makes for a great replacement for mayonnaise and mustard in a sandwich.

For this recipe, the rich homemade tapenade is spread into an herby focaccia roll followed by some spicy salami, peppery arugula, a roasted red bell pepper, and a sprinkling of crumbled goat cheese. Although the ingredients in this sandwich are all very strongly flavored, each remains distinct with every bite.

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Recipe Facts

4.5

(2)

Active: 15 mins
Total: 15 mins
Makes: 4 sandwiches

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Ingredients

  • For the Tapenade:
  • 8 ounces black pitted olives (kalamata or nicoise), drained
  • 2 medium cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  •  
  • For the Sandwich:
  • 4 focaccia rolls
  • 4 ounces sliced Genoa salami
  • 2 cups packed arugula (about 1 ounce)
  • 4 jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained
  • 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

Directions

  1. For the Tapenade: Combine olives, garlic, parsley, pepper flakes, capers, vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil in a food processor and pulse until everything is well combined and chopped fine, 8 to 10 short pulses. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  2. To make the sandwiches, split each of the focaccia rolls in half. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the tapenade on the tops and bottoms of the focaccia rolls.

  3. Place a roasted red bell pepper on each of the bottom halves of the sandwiches, followed by a layer of salami, and a layer of arugula. Divide the goat cheese evenly among the sandwiches. Top with the remaining tapenade-covered focaccia and serve immediately.

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