Description:

An olive is wrapped in a seasoned cheesy pie dough and baked for a hot delicious ball, called Olive Poppers! Deliciously different!

Source:

Arizona Tart

Serves/Makes:12-24 olives (depends on size)

Ingredients

• 1 jar green olives, pitted or stuffed(see note below)
• 1 cup (225 ml) grated cheese, sharp cheddar, Gruyere, or Swiss
• 1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground red pepper or mild or hot paprika
• 1 recipe of your favorite flakey pie crust (or a boxed pie crust mix is fine)

Preparation

• Mix the pie crust as directed and add the red pepper and cheese into the crust--adjust moisture if necessary with drops of icy water.
• Roll the pie crust fairly thin on a floured board.
• Cut the dough into squares, that will fit around the size of olive you selected.
• Roll the dough around the olive and chill.
• Bake at 450 degree (225 C.) oven for about 10 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet or a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Watch for burning, each pie crust recipe will bake slightly differently.

Comments

Size of Olives! Buy what you like and desire to have for a finished product. I usually use a medium Spanish Olive, but occasionally buy gourmet olives like "Santa Barbara Olive Company" with stuffed almonds, garlic cloves, or jalepino chile. The size of olive will greatly determine how many you will have.. and if it is a popper or a two biter!

These can be made ahead of time and freeze them until you need them and then use what you need. Thaw them in the refrigerator if you like, or bake them frozen, they will turn out fine, watch for burning.