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Olive Ascolane (Italian Stuffed Olives) 3

Olive Ascolane (Italian Stuffed Olives)

Olive Ascolane are small golden gems, filled with meat, breaded and deep-fried. All the flavors are perfectly balanced in this traditional appetizer that usually accompanies an aperitif.
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Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Green Olives, Olive Ascolane, Olives, Stuffed Olives
Difficulty: Moderate
Servings: 60 olives
Calories: 79kcal

Ingredients

  • 60 unit olives giants (see notes), pitted

For stuffing the olives

  • ½ cup onions finely chopped
  • ½ cup celery finely chopped
  • ½ cup carrots finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil EVOO
  • ¾ cup pork minced
  • ¾ cup beef minced
  • ½ cup mortadella chopped
  • ⅓ cup Parmesan freshly grated
  • 4 tbsp parsley
  • 1 tsp nutmeg powder
  • 1 tsp cloves powder
  • 1 unit egg
  • 3 tbsp breadcrumbs

For breading the olives

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 3 unit eggs beaten

For deep frying the olives

  • 3 cups oil vegetable

Instructions

STEP 1. Prepare the stuffing

  • Start by making your soffritto. Chop the onions, celery and carrots. Heat some EVOO in a pan and, once the oil shimmers, add the vegetables and cook them for 5 minutes until they are soft.
  • Add the minced meat. Continue to cook for 15 minutes, until the meat has lost its pink color. Remove the meat from the heat and let it cool completely.
  • In a food processor, combine the meat with the mortadella and mix it until it forms a paste.
  • Return the paste to a bowl and add the spices, parsley, 1 egg and breadcrumbs. Mix it well until combined ( see notes).

STEP 2. Stuff the Olives

  • Slice each olive vertically around ¾ of the way down, being careful not to slice the olive all the way through to the bottom.  
  • Gently open it, place the filling inside and reclose. Continue until you have filled all the olives.

STEP 3. Breading the Olives

  • Once you complete filling all the olives, take 3 bowls and fill the first with flour, the second with the beaten eggs and the third with the breadcrumbs.  
  • Dip each olive, first in the flour, then in the egg wash and then in the breadcrumbs, making sure the olive is well coated. After the first coating, the olive again in the egg wash and then in the breadcrumbs (see notes).
  • Roll the olive gently in your hands to shape it as roundly as possible.

STEP 4. Frying the Olves

  • Heat the oil in a deep-frying pan. Once the oil is hot, immerge the olives.  
  • Put them on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil and then put them on a serving plate.
  • Enjoy them while they are still hot.

Notes

  • Ascolana Tenera is the variety used to make traditional Olive Ascolane. Since they are quite hard to find outside Italy, you can easily find great substitutes that will not compromise the taste. Two good options that both yield a great result are Castelvetrano olives (from Italy) or Queen olives (from Spain).
  • If your paste is too crumbly, add some milk. If instead it is too runny, add a bit of parmesan or more breadcrumbs.
  • The original recipe calls for just one coating, but I like to double coat for 2 reasons. First, it makes the breading more consistent around the entire olive, making it easier to deep fry. Second, it gives a super-crunchy texture to it, without having too much bread around the olive.
  • Deep-frying the olives will take only a few minutes, so keep observing your olives to avoid burning them.  

Nutrition

Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 212IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
Have you tried to make it?Mention @Italian_Kitchen_Confessions or tag #Italian_Kitchen_Confessions!