Black Olive Pate(Portuguese)

Yummy served with crackers! Adapted courtesy Jean Anderson form the Food Network.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Yields: 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 1  lb  large ripe black olives, pitted
• 1  head garlic (about 2 to 3 ounces)
•  olive oil
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Spread the olives out on several thickness of paper towels, top with several more thicknesses of paper towels, then roll up tight, and set aside (to rid the olives of as much moisture as possible so that the pate won't be soupy).
3. Slice off the top part of the head of garlic, exposing the cloves. Drizzle the head with olive oil. Wrap the whole head of garlic in a double thickness of aluminum foil, and then twist each loose end sealing in the garlic. Place in the oven and roast until the garlic is quite tender, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Take out all cloves of garlic and put into a blender or food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade; add the olives and pepper, and puree by processing 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the blender or work bowl with a rubber spatula, process for another 15 seconds, then scoop all into a small bowl. Cover tightly. Store in a refrigerator until about 30 minutes before serving.
4. Mound into a small decorative bowl and serve as a cocktail spread on crisp crackers.