Fried Olives

5.00 (5)
⏱ 25 mins 🍽 4-6 serving(s) 🏷 Greek

These Greek fried olives are a flavourful appetiser. Green olives are stuffed with a creamy puree of red onion, garlic, optional ham, parsley and cayenne. They are then coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs before being fried until golden and crisp. The recipe yields 4 to 6 servings and takes about 25 minutes to prepare and cook.

Fried Olives

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb green pitted olives or 1/2 lb green olives, with pits
  • 1 red onion, peeled and minced
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 slices good-quality ham, minced (optional)
  • 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 pinch cayenne
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup finely ground breadcrumbs
  • olive oil (for frying)

Method

  1. If your olives have pits, remove them using an olive pitter or cherry pitter, taking care to keep the olives whole.
  2. Combine the minced onion, garlic, optional ham, parsley, olive oil and cayenne in a food processor. Pulse the mixture until it forms a very smooth and creamy puree.
  3. Transfer the pureed filling to a separate bowl.
  4. Fit a pastry bag with a nozzle small enough to enter the olive cavity. Use it to pipe the filling into each prepared olive.
  5. Prepare two plates, one with the all-purpose flour and the other with the finely ground breadcrumbs.
  6. Pour olive oil into a large, heavy skillet to a depth of about half an inch and place it over medium heat.
  7. Coat each stuffed olive first in the flour, then dip it into the lightly beaten egg, and finally roll it in the breadcrumbs.
  8. Fry the coated olives in the hot oil until the breadcrumb exterior turns a golden colour.
  9. Take the olives out of the oil, let them drain briefly on paper towels, and then serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Sodium537500 mg

Recipe details

CategoryGreek
Authorevelynathens