Instructions: Prepare the stuffing.

Place the ricotta in a china or glass bowl add the egg yolks anchovies garlic cayenne pepper mint leaves salt and pepper to taste and saffron.

Mix then coyer the bawl with aluminium foil and refrigerate until needed.

Stuff the mixture into the olives using a piping bag.

Roll the olives in flour shaking off any excess then dip in the egg and finally in the breadcrumbs so the olives are well coated.

Pour olive oil to a depth of 1 1hin in a heavy saucepan and heat it to about 350 degrees F; or until a tiny pinch of breadcrumbs sizzles immediately.

Fry the olives a few at a time until they are golden and crisp.

Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.

Serve immediately.

Its hardpuding imaginative recipes for an olive... but if you have unlimited patience this recipe is delicious. Buy the olives loose not preserved in brine. Left over ricotta mix can be refrigerated and tossed in hot pasta.

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