Nicoise Fried Olives

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese, room temperature
• 2 ounces chevre cheese, room temperature (fresh goat cheese)
• the leaves from 3 stems thyme
• 1/2 lemon, zest of
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup seltzer water (perrier)
• 2 tablespoons seltzer water (perrier)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 40 nicoise olives, pitted
• 40 large green olives, pitted
• fleur de sel
• lemon wedge

Recipe

• 1 fill a cast iron skillet at least 1 inch deep with vegetable oil. heat over medium heat, and bring to 350°f.
• 2 meanwhile, make the filling. mix together the ricotta, chevre, thyme, and lemon zest. season lightly with salt and pepper.
• 3 make the batter, by whisking together the flour, perrier, baking powder, and salt.
• 4 dip the black olives in the batter, and fry in batches. they will be golden and puffed in 30 to 60 seconds.
• 5 meanwhile, fit a baggie with a pastry tip, and fill with the ricotta mixture. pipe the green olives with just a bit of the stuffing. then, dip them in the batter as with the black olives, and fry 60 to 90 seconds.
• 6 drain all the olives on paper towel, and sprinkle with fleur de sel or sea salt, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.