Olive all'Ascolana: The Marche's Fried Stuffed Olives

Heat a splash of neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat and cook for 5 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains.

Pour in the white wine and cook until fully evaporated, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Transfer the cooled meat to a bowl. Add the Parmigiano, whole egg, egg yolk, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Mix until evenly combined. The filling should hold its shape when rolled — if it's too loose, add 1 tbsp of breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Drain the olives and pat them dry. Using a small paring knife, cut around each olive in a continuous spiral motion to free the pit in one ribbon of flesh. Work slowly — torn olives can't be stuffed cleanly.

Pinch off about ½ tsp of filling, shape it into a small oval, and wrap the olive flesh back around it, re-forming the olive shape. Press the seam firmly closed. Repeat with all the olives.

Set up three shallow bowls: flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second, breadcrumbs in the third. Keep your hands dry throughout the breading process.

Roll each stuffed olive in flour, shake off the excess, dip in beaten egg and let any drip off, then press firmly into the breadcrumbs — make sure the seam is fully covered.

Pour at least 5 cm of neutral oil into a deep, heavy pan and heat to 170–175°C (340–345°F). Use a thermometer; temperature control matters more here than almost anywhere.

Fry in batches of 8–10 olives for 2–3 minutes, turning once or twice, until deep golden brown all over. Don't crowd the pan — it drops the temperature and makes the crust greasy.

Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack. Paper towels trap steam underneath and make the base soggy.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges. These don't reheat well — fry to order if you can manage it.