Ingredients
- ¼-½ cup mild Blue or Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
- 40 pitted Spanish green olives, dried thoroughly
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup regular Panko bread crumbs
Recipe Description
These FRIED BLUE CHEESE STUFFED OLIVES with a simple garlic aioli are absolutely addicting! Such a simple and perfect holiday appetizer, just what you need for Christmas or New Years Eve!
Recipe Directions
1. (Note: The olives can be fried ahead of time and refrigerated to enjoy later. To serve, reheat in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 2-3 minutes. Watch closely.)
2. Gently stuff each dried olive with a small piece of Blue or Gorgonzola cheese and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside until ready to fry.
3. In a large, heavy-bottomed stovetop pan, pour enough oil to fill the pan 1/3 of the way up the sides. Heat oil until a deep-frying thermometer reads 350 degrees F or until a cube of bread, deep-fried, takes 2 minutes to brown.
4. While oil is heating, place the flour in a cereal-sized bowl – place the slightly beaten eggs in another cereal-sized bowl and combine the Panko breadcrumbs, plain breadcrumbs and Parmesan in another small bowl. **See Note.
5. When oil is ready, place 5-8 olives in the bowl with the flour. Toss gently with a slotted spoon or fork until olives are coved with flour.
6. Place the olives in the bowl with the beaten egg, being sure to coat each olive with egg. With a different slotted spoon (or fork), transfer the olives to the breadcrumb mixture and, using, yet, another fork, turn the olives gently to cover with the breadcrumbs.
7. Place the olives in the hot oil and fry for 30-45 seconds or until golden brown. Very gently stir the olives in the oil so all sides fry evenly. Transfer the olives to the paper-towel covered plate to cool a few minutes before serving. Repeat until all olives are fried.
8. Serve with Aioli Dip
9. Enjoy!
10. **Note. If the dipping mixtures become “gummy” – replace with fresh ingredients.
