OLIVE ALL’ ASCOLANA (FRIED STUFFED OLIVES)

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Hi there,

Today I am sharing with you a tradition that came to me from my daughter-in-law, Hillary. It has been a Christmas Tradition for several years to make these fried olives from the Marche region of Italy. And the tradition continues. This year my granddaughter, Maya, was enlisted. She pitched right in and was a big help. Hopefully, this will become a future tradition at Christmasfor her.

The original recipe, albeit very delicious, is very heavy. I am sharing with you a lightened version that is more in line with the diet and health concerns of a modern cook.

Although this recipe is somewhat time consuming, the results are delicious and well worth the effort.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 small onion finely chopped
  • 4 oz ground beef
  • 4 oz fennel sausage removed from casing
  • 4 oz ground chicken
  • 2 oz white wine
  • 4 oz marinara sauce
  • 4 oz ground pecorino cheese
  • pinch of nutmeg
  • 2 dozen eggs
  • wondra flour
  • large container of breadcrumbs
  • large container of panko
  • olive oil
  • 2 21 oz jars of queen size (very large) olives

Directions

  • brown the onion is some olives oil until wilted
  • add the meat, sausage and chicken to the pan and cook on medium heat. The meat does not need to brown.
  • add the wine, marinara sauce and the pinch of nutmeg to the pan and reduce the liquid until it is almost completely absorbed by the meat
  • stir in the ground pecorino cheese
  • at this point take the mixture and put it into your food processor and process until it forms a rough paste
  • refrigerate this mixture and work on your olives
  • take a jar and a half of the olives, slice long ways and remove the pimento (save the pimento for future use)
  • stuff the meat mixture into the olives. It is ok to have some of the mixture on the outside of the olive, just form into a round.
  • at this point you will set up a breading station. Scramble about 6 eggs at a time, have one dish with the breadcrumbs and one with the panko and a cookie sheet for the finished olives.
  • dip the stuffed olives into the eggs
  • cover with breadcrumbs and dip into eggs again
  • dip into the panko and place on the cookie sheet
  • at this point you will probably have about 75 breaded olives
  • allow olives to set up for about an hour and then spray with olive oil on top and bottom of the olive
  • put into an air fryer set at 425 and keep an eye on them. The olives will probably be brown in about 3 minutes and should be turned over until browned on the other side.
  • You can enjoy these hot or served a room temperature. DO NOT REHEAT IN A MICROWAVE,

Special Note: You can always fry these olives in olive oil on the stove top. I set aside what I am going to serve and freeze the remaining olives uncooked. The olives freeze beautifully if put in a bag and allowed to lie flat until solidly frozen. Then for future use cook the olives straight from the freezer.

I hope that you will try this recipe. It makes a very impressive appetizer to serve with drinks. Although the directions are rather long, the process is very easy. It is a fun thing to make with friends or even get your children in the act.

27 responses to “OLIVE ALL’ ASCOLANA (FRIED STUFFED OLIVES)”

  1. Linda – I am a devoted wife and mother who loves to create delicious meals for my family and friends. I also love traveling, interior decorating and photography.
    Linda says:

    Fried olives! Very interesting !! 🙂

  2. They are worth the effort. I am starting a new feature on Thursday called 3 things to cook this weekend. I am going to use your post called Charlotte’s Ole Dip. I will of course attribute it to you. I hope this is ok.

  3. CarolCooks2 – Udon Thani – Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them. I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling. Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing. This is now taking me into other areas like deforestation, chemicals and preservatives in the food chain. Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!
    CarolCooks2 says:

    A delicious-sounding appetiser 🙂

  4. Jacqui Murray – Laguna Hills, CA. – Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular prehistoric fiction saga, Man vs. Nature which explores seminal events in man’s evolution one trilogy at a time. She is also the author of the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers and Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. Her non-fiction includes over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, reviews as an Amazon Vine Voice, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Savage Land.
    Jacqui Murray says:

    I have never once considered frying an olive. What amazing ideas I learn from you!

  5. These are fabulous! Years ago at a wine tasting event I had these and because of them bought a little electric deep fryer. I have yet to make them!!! Now i will.

  6. Charlie DeSando – Milwaukee, WI – Charlie DeSando is a professional eater and amateur YouTube Chef. The two activities go hand-in-hand. This blog has been written with other amateur cooks in mind, including men who are novice cooks. Please enjoy and I hope you learn something worth while from it.
    Charlie DeSando says:

    Looks wonderful and Buon Natale

  7. Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
    Darlene says:

    Your granddaughter looks adorable helping out. Fun times.

  8. Maya is adorable! I have never heard of these olives and you’re right, the perfect appetizer!

  9. I remember these delectable bites from last year, and I love that Maya has gotten in on the action! Les won’t be home until late tonight, so I promised him some heavy hors d’oeuvres with cocktails in place of dinner. I’m going to pick up some sausage and give these a try! What time is Maya free to come over and teach me? 🥰 she is cute as a button, that one!

  10. Chef Mimi – As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!
    Chef Mimi says:

    I’ve had these once at a food and wine festival although they were spanish. I can’t wait to make them finally! thanks for the recipe!

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