Fried Stuffed Olives
Instructions
Chop the vegetables (onion, celery, carrot) and brown them with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil; dice finely the 3 types of meat and add them to the vegetables (1-2-3);
once the meats are browned, add some salt and the white wine (4) and let it evaporate on a low flame. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool, then mince it (5) (you can also use a food processor); pour the mixture into a bowl, then add the clove powder, the nutmeg, the grated zest of half lemon (6), an egg, the grated Parmesan cheese, the smashed inner soft part of bread (7-8) and knead it well until the mixture is soft yet firm (9); then let it rest for half an hour.
Now move on to pit the olives: with a smooth blade knife, make a spiral cut from top to bottom without breaking them, in order to get a pitless curl of olive pulp (10-11-12). Ideally it's like peeling a citrus fruit by keeping the blade attached to it, therefore without breaking its peel.
At this point stuff the olives with the mixture you made (13), trying to give them their original shape (which will be of course a little bit fatter!).
In the meanwhile prepare 3 bowls, each containing: the flour, the whisked eggs and the breadcrumbs. Roll each olive first in flour, then in the whisked eggs, and finally in breadcrumbs (14); once they are all ready, let them rest in a fresh place for half an hour. Then repeat the same procedure and bread them once more, so that they will be well crispy for frying.
Now, you can fry your olives Ascolana style in hot extra virgin olive oil (15), turning them occasionally upside down until they look evenly golden brown; then drain them and place them onto a plate covered with kitchen paper. Serve your fried stuffed olives Ascolana style very hot.
