Italian cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Olive all'Ascolana

Large green olives wrapped around a beef and veal filling, breaded and fried until crisp.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 40 large green olives (pitted, in brine)
• 150 g ground beef
• 150 g ground veal
• 1 carrot
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 onion
• 50 g parmesan
• 3 eggs
• 100 g flour
• 150 g breadcrumbs
• 1 l frying oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Dice the carrot, celery and onion very finely and sauté in 2 tbsp of the oil for 6 min. until soft, then add the ground beef and veal and fry for 8–10 min. until crumbly and all liquid has evaporated.
2. Let the mixture cool, knead in the grated parmesan, 1 egg, salt and plenty of pepper, adding 2 tbsp breadcrumbs if needed until it is moldable.
3. Rinse the olives, pat dry, roll about 1 tsp of filling into a small ball for each and press it around the olive so it is completely wrapped.
4. Coat the stuffed olives first in flour, then dip in the remaining beaten eggs, and finally roll firmly in the breadcrumbs; chill for 20 min.
5. Heat the frying oil to 175 °C and fry the olives in batches for 3–4 min. until golden brown all over and rising to the surface.
6. Drain on paper towels, salt lightly and serve immediately, hot, as an antipasto or aperitif snack.