- 1 sweet fresh Italian sausage, about ¼ pound, casing removed
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 can or jar (12 ounces) large pitted green olives
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup fine dried bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- Peanut oil for deep-frying
- In a bowl, combine the sausage meat, garlic, and red pepper flakes, if using, and mix to distribute the ingredients evenly.
- Drain the olives and rinse them under running cold water. Stuff each of the olives with ¼ to ½ teaspoon of the sausage mixture.
- Spread the flour on a dinner plate.
- Break the egg into a shallow bowl and beat lightly.
- Spread the bread crumbs on another dinner plate. Moisten the bread crumbs with the olive oil, and stir to distribute the oil evenly.
- One at a time, roll the olives in the flour, coating them evenly and shaking off the excess. Then dip them in the egg, letting any excess drip back into the bowl.
- Finally, coat the olives evenly with the bread crumbs. As each olive is finished, place it on a tray.
- Cover and refrigerate the olives for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours before frying.
- Pour the peanut oil to a depth of at least 3 inches into a deep fryer or a heavy, 8-inch-deep stockpot and heat to 375°F.
- Working in batches, add the olives to the hot oil and fry until golden brown and the sausage stuffing is cooked through, about 3 minutes.
- The olives will bubble vigorously until they are nearly done, so be careful to avoid splatters. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
- Arrange the olives in a ceramic dish. Serve warm or at room temperature.