Green Olives Stuffed with Chili Almonds

ingredients

• a 1 1/4 cups jar pitted large green olives (about 24)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons chili powder
• 24 whole almonds with skins (about 1/4 cup)

directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large sieve rinse olives and drain well. In a bowl stir together 1/2 teaspoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and add almonds, tossing to coat. Transfer almonds to a baking sheet and toast in middle of oven until fragrant and a couple of shades darker, 9 minutes. Cool almonds just until they can be handled and stuff each olive with an almond. In bowl toss olives with remaining oil and chili powder. Olives may be made 1 day ahead and kept, covered, at cool room temperature (almonds will begin to soften after about 4 hours).