Savory Tomato-Thyme Shortbread with Olive Gremolata

     No... I didn't drop off the face of the earth.  I have been turning out meals and desserts daily, but lately it seems like everything is eaten before I even have a chance to pull out my camera. 
     The Savory Tomato-Thyme Shortbread and Olive Gremolata is a fabulous appetizer.  I'm paraphrasing here... but a friend that joined us for dinner remarked that the savory shortbread and olive gremolata on their own are amazing, but combined they're magical.  I have to agree.  I also made this appetizer more labor-intensive than need be.  I rolled the dough and used a round cutter to stamp out the savory cookies -- but if you follow the original recipe and form the dough into a sliceable log, the baking of this shortbread will take you (almost) no time at all.  I'll even go out on a limb here to say that if you are really short on time, just make the olive gremolata and serve with purchased (buttery) crackers.  It's pretty delicious.
    

Tomato-Thyme Shortbread with Olive Gremolata
 • recipe by Melia Marden | Food & Wine • April 2014

SHORTBREADS:
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Pinch of finely ground black pepper
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold, unsalted butter, cubed
GREMOLATA:
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pitted, green olives, such as Castelvetrano
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

1.  TO MAKE THE SHORTBREAD:  In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, tomato paste, sugar, Parmigian-Reggiano cheese, thyme leaves, kosher salt, cayenne, and black pepper.  Pulse the mixture until the tomato paste is evenly distributed throughout.  Add the butter and pulse until the dough starts to come together.  Transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap and roll the dough into a log 8-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter.  Wrap in the plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
2.  MAKE THE GREMOLATA:  Combine all of the ingredients in a medium-size bowl.  Season with salt and black pepper.  Set aside.
3.  PREHEAT OVEN to 350˚F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Slice the shortbread log into 1/4-inch thick rounds (I rolled my shortbread dough just a little over 1/8-inch thick and used a round cutter, instead).  Place shortbread rounds on prepared baking sheets. Bake the shortbreads on upper third and center racks of oven for about 18 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned; rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking.  (If baking a thinner, rolled shortbread as I did, bake for 12 -15 minutes.)  Transfer the shortbreads to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.  Serve as an appetizer with the olive gremolata.

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