The tuna-stuffed fried olives are the seafood version of the famous and beloved Ascolana olives with meat. They are made with large pitted green olives stuffed with canned tuna in oil, capers, seasonings, and Parmesan, then breaded and fried.
Tasty and appetizing, the tuna-stuffed fried olives can be served with an aperitif, with appetizers, or as a delicious snack with friends. Serve them with sauces of your choice, and read how to make aioli sauce without eggs and eggless mayonnaise. In this recipe, I will simplify the process to make 30 fried olives, but you can always double the quantities to make many more.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 30 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 30 green olives (large pitted)
- 3.5 oz canned tuna in oil (drained)
- 0.7 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- 5 pickled capers
- 1 egg yolk (+ 1 whole egg for breading)
- 1/2 clove garlic (with the germ removed)
- chopped parsley (fresh)
- 1 tbsp breadcrumbs for filling (+ 1 cup for breading)
- 1.1 oz flour (for breading)
- to taste salt, pepper, vegetable oil for frying
Steps
Drain all the oil from the tuna and place it in a blender. Add the egg yolk, setting aside the egg white, then add the Parmesan, capers, garlic, and chopped parsley, and blend to form a smooth mixture.
Pour the mixture into a bowl and add the breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt. Taste to adjust the seasoning and sprinkle with ground black pepper.
Prepare the large pitted green olives by washing them from the brine under running water, then make a vertical cut in the center and fill each one with the tuna mixture.
Compact the filling well by closing it between the olive halves.
Prepare three small bowls where you will place the flour, the beaten eggs with the leftover egg white, and the breadcrumbs. You will need them for the breading steps of the olives.
Take the stuffed olive and first pass it in the flour, then in the beaten egg, and finally in the breadcrumbs.
For a thicker and crunchier crust, repeat the last two steps a second time, in the beaten egg and the breadcrumbs. Then, form a round and smooth ball with your hands.
Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan for frying, keeping it on the smallest burner of the stove at low heat. Test the oil with a toothpick, and when ready, fry the olives 5/6 at a time, depending on the size of your fryer.
Frying time is 3 minutes, then drain and serve them hot. They can also be frozen after being lightly fried halfway through cooking, remove from the freezer and finish frying until golden brown.
