Stuffed black olives

PREPARATION  15 minutes chilling time

COOKING  15 minutes

MAKES  36

36 pitted jumbo black or large kalamata olives (see Note)

100 g (3½ oz) goat’s cheese

1 teaspoon capers, drained and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1½ tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

100 g (3½ oz/1 cup) dry breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian)parsley, extra

oil, for deep-frying

Carefully cut olives along the open cavity so they are opened out, but still in one piece.

Mash the goat’s cheese, capers, garlic and parsley together in a small bowl, then season. Push an even amount of the mixture into the cavity of the olives, then press them closed.

Put flour in one small bowl, the egg in another and combine breadcrumbs and extra parsley in a third. Dip each olive into the flour, then into the egg and, finally, into the breadcrumbs. Put the crumbed olives on a plate. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Fill a deep heavy-based saucepan one-third full of oil and heat to 180°C (350°F), or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds. Cook the olives in batches for 1–2 minutes, or until golden brown all over; you may need to turn them with tongs or a long-handled metal spoon. Drain on crumpled paper towels and season. Serve warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

Note: If you can’t find large pitted olives, buy stuffed ones and remove the filling.