Combine olives, capers, anchovies, garlic, mustard, thyme, parsley, crushed red pepper and lemon juice, and half of the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine well, then allow to process until mixture is coarsely pureed, adding more olive oil as needed to obtain desired consistency. (A thicker product will better suit serving on crostini, whereas a looser consistency will work better as a sauce for pasta or cooked vegetables.) Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, then serve as a dip alongside crusty bread with goat cheese, grilled vegetables or chicken, or tossed with cooked pasta and fresh herbs.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Use a pastry brush to brush the bread slices with olive oil. Lightly season with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Bake until crispy, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Yield: 24 crostini