How to make Fried Stuffed Olives.
INGREDIENTS: Serves 4
- 400 g black olives, stoned
- 500 g passata
- 65 g feta cheese
- 1 tbsp capers
- 40 g plain flour
- 2 eggs large, free-range
- 200 g breadcrumbs
- 1 litre vegetable oil
- fresh oregano, a few sprigs
- 1 pinch dried chilli flakes
- extra virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Pour the passata into a wide dish.
- Drain, and add the olives, making sure they are all submerged.
- Set it aside to soak for about 1 hour.
- Beat the feta and capers together to form a rough paste.
- Remove the soaked olives from the passata, keeping the sauce to one side.
- Gently roll little balls of the feta mixture into tiny sausage shapes and stuff these into the olives.
- Set up a little station by lining up three shallow bowls – the first with the flour, whisk the eggs in the second, and the last with the breadcrumbs.
- Pour the vegetable oil into a deep pan and place over a medium heat.
- Pop a cube of bread in the oil, and when it’s golden it is ready to use.
- Working quickly, roll the olives in the flour, followed by the egg, letting any excess drip off, then finally coat in the breadcrumbs.
- Carefully lower into the hot oil and deep fry until golden and crisp.
- To make your sauce, place the leftover passata in a small pan with the oregano leaves and dried chilli.
- Season, place over a medium heat and simmer rapidly for 4 to 5 minutes, or until reduced slightly.
- Stir in a little extra virgin olive oil and serve with the fried olives.
