Cracked Olives are olives that, before being cured, are pressed between boards or stones so that the flesh cracks open, but not so hard that oil would be extracted, and not so hard that the pits inside will crack.
Cracking, like slashing olives (see Tailladées), speeds up the curing process because it lets the brine penetrate the olive more deeply.
Cooking Tips
When cooked in dishes, cracked olives help to thicken sauces because they release their juices more readily.