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Green Olives Stuffed with Piquillo Peppers and Anchovies (Aceitunas verdes rellenas de pimiento y anchoa)

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  • SERVINGS: 4

There's no better tapa than a good stuffed olive. But the stuffed olives you buy in the supermarket are normally filled with ingredients of poor quality. The way to make the best appetizer is to take a good olive and stuff it with the real thing.

  1. 8 extra-large green olives, unpitted
  2. 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
  3. 2 piquillo peppers (Spanish wood-roasted sweet peppers)
  4. 1 garlic clove, unpeeled
  5. 3 tablespoons Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
  6. Grated zest of 1 orange
  7. 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  8. Sea salt
  1. Using the flat side of a paring knife, press each olive until the pit pops out. Cut the anchovy fillets lengthwise to create 8 long slices and cut the piquillo peppers into 8 strips. Stuff 1 anchovy slice and 1 strip of pepper into each olive. You can be generous with the filling, allowing the anchovy and pepper to spill out of the olive.
  2. Split open the garlic clove by placing it on a chopping board and pressing down hard with the base of your hand or the flat side of a paring knife. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, olive oil, orange zest and vinegar. Place the stuffed olives in the dressing and allow them to marinate for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and serve with toothpicks.
Notes José's tips: Buy the olives unpitted. It's more work for you, but the olives are usually of better quality and have meatier flesh.