Ascolana Style Olives
This is a traditional recipe from the Italian Marche region and these Ascolana style olives are rich in taste and perfect for the whole family. The recipe takes time but the result is always delicious. We suggest preparing extra before they are fried so they can be frozen and used on another occasion when you fancy some.
In the traditional recipe they use Ascoli olives but in our recipe we use pitted Greek olives, which are juicy and large, perfect to be stuffed and fried.
Serves:
for about 50 olives
Time:
about 60 min
Ingredients:
500g (17.6 oz) La Rocca Green Pitted Greek olives
For the stuffing
50 g (1.7 oz) minced beef
50 g (1.7 oz) minced pork
50 g (1.7 oz) minced chicken
15 g (0.5 oz) breadcrumbs
½ onion
Nutmeg to taste
40 g (1.4 oz) Parmigiano Reggiano
Zest of ½ lemon
½ carrot
½ stalk of celery
1 cup of white wine
1 egg
Salt to taste
For the breadcrumb shell
2 eggs
00 flour
Breadcrumbs
For frying
500ml (2 cups) extra virgin oil or frying oil
Preparation:
- Prepare the soffritto by letting the vegetables brown gently in a pan with 3 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil, then add the three meats and cook for 15 minutes. Then pour in the wine and let it evaporate on a light heat.
- Once cooked, let the vegetables cool. Transfer to a bowl and add the nutmeg, lemon zest, egg, grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, minced breadcrumbs and mix well to obtain a soft but compact mixture, then leave to rest for half an hour.
- With a knife, cut the olives lengthways and open them like a book, then fill them with the mixture, taking care to close them as tight as possible.
- Meanwhile, prepare three separate bowls, one with flour, one with beaten eggs and one with breadcrumbs. Place each stuffed olive first into the bowl of flour, then the bowl of egg and finally into the bowl of breadcrumbs. Leave them to rest in the fridge for half an hour.
- In a pan with high sides, heat the oil and then fry the olives, only a few at a time, immersed in the oil, until they are crispy and golden brown.
- Drain the excess oil and dry on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Serve hot.
