Olive alla Ascolana (Deep-fried crumbed and stuffed green olives)

Traditional olives all'Ascolana are stuffed with a meat filling, usually a combination of meats. The original recipe came from the province of Ascoli Piceno, in Italy's central Le Marche region. The team at Sandhurst have reinvented the recipe and replaced the meat with smoked feta cheese for a modern, vegetarian take on this classic dish.

Olive alla Ascolana (Deep-fried crumbed and stuffed green olives) Credit: Adam Liaw

• makes

  30

• prep

  35 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 30 pitted queen green olives
• 150 g smoked feta cheese
• 30 g grated parmesan cheese
• ½ lemon, finely grated zest
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 100 g plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 150 g fine breadcrumbs
• 1 litre vegetable or sunflower oil, for shallow frying

Instructions

1. Drain the olives on a piece of paper towel to remove the excess brine.
2. In a bowl, mix the smoked feta, parmesan cheese, lemon zest and chopped parsley until you get a semi smooth paste. Place the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm plain nozzle. Pipe a little mixture into each olive and set aside.
3. Place the flour in a shallow bowl, the lightly beaten egg in another and the breadcrumbs in a third bowl.
4. Heat the oil for shallow frying in a deep, heavy–based pan to 180°C.
5. Working one at a time, dust the olives in flour, dip in egg and toss to coat in the breadcrumbs. Dip the olives in the egg again and coat in the breadcrumbs, then place on a tray lined with baking paper.
6. Fry the olives for 1–2 minutes or until light golden, then drain on a piece of paper towel. Work in small batches so you don't overcrowd the pan.Serve warm.

 

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.