Black Olive Paste Cookies | Savory Tea-Time Cookies

Put the black olive paste in a fine-mesh sieve and press it with a spoon to drain off excess liquid and oil. Discard what collects underneath. Taste a little and check the saltiness; no extra salt is added to this dough, so all the salt comes from the black olive paste.

Pinch off walnut-sized pieces of dough and roll them into balls. Roll each between your palms into an 8-centimeter strip, then join the ends to make a small ring. Or leave them round and flatten them with a fork.

Lightly dampen the top of each piece with a wet cloth and press it into the sesame seeds. Arrange the pieces spaced apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Since no egg is used, this moisture is what helps the sesame stick.

Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C / 355°F for 22 minutes. Since the dough is already dark, check the bottom of a cookie for a deep golden color instead of judging the top. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.