Although the most recognized countries in terms of olive production are Italy, Spain, Greece and Portugal, among others, Argentina is not far behind. In 2017 it established itself as the 8th largest producer of table olives in the world, especially in the provinces of La Rioja, San Juan and Mendoza, where wine production is also important, which, on this occasion, does not concern us (unless you wish to accompany this appetizer with a rich wine).
What we are interested in for this recipe are the olives, which we will learn to serve as an original appetizer instead of alone, stuffed and battered. In addition, we will teach you how to cook them in the oven instead of frying them, which significantly reduces the calories of this appetizer, taking care of the health of your guests. With simple steps and ingredients you will surprise everyone with this exquisite starter.
Ingredients to make Battered Olives with Cheese:
• 9 pitted green olives
• 10 grams of fresh cheese
• 1 egg
• 30 grams of breadcrumbs
• 20 grams of flour
• 1 teaspoon of oil
How to make Cheese Breaded Olives:
To get started with this easy recipe, rinse the olives to remove the brine. Next, prepare the rest of the ingredients in separate containers: the flour on one side, the breadcrumbs on the other and the egg on the other. Also preheat the oven to maximum temperature (200 ºC). Then, fill the olives with cheese, helping you with a knife or toothpick.
Coat the olives with flour and then pass them through the egg, breadcrumbs, egg and breadcrumbs again. It is important to comply with the step of the flour, since it absorbs the humidity of the olives and allows the egg and the breadcrumbs to stick together. In case of making this preparation for a person with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, consider using a flour without TACC, as well as the rest of the ingredients with the relevant logo.
Arrange the battered olives on a baking tray covered with the teaspoon of oil, which you can distribute with a napkin or your own hand. Cook them in the oven, maintaining the same temperature, for about 7-8 minutes.
Now yes, serve the olives battered and stuffed with cheese very hot and enjoy the strings of cheese in each bite. As you can see, this recipe is ideal for an aperitif, so we encourage you to prepare more simple dishes to serve a complete menu, such as pumpkin and cheese croquettes or potatoes. To enjoy!
Other fillings to make battered olives in the oven
Instead of making cheese-stuffed olives, you can use the following ingredients:
• Bell pepper
• Mince
• Cream cheese with basil
• Dried tomato paste
If you find it difficult to fill them with your hand and a knife or toothpick, you can arrange the filling in a sleeve with a very small cut at the tip to insert it into the hole in the olive and proceed to fill it. As for the batter, you can replace the breadcrumbs with panko, but keep in mind that it has more fat. Likewise, this preparation reduces several calories when baked, compared to the fried version.
