Fried Green Olives with Harissa Yogurt Dip

Preparation

These crispy, golden-fried olives are stuffed with a creamy mixture of feta and fresh oregano, creating a savory bite that’s irresistible. Paired with a tangy yogurt dip topped with fragrant harissa-infused olive oil, this appetizer delivers bold flavors and just the right amount of heat. Perfect for a special occasion or any gathering where you want to impress guests with something unique and flavorful.

1. Make the fried olives. In a food processor, pulse feta and oregano until smooth. If the feta mixture is too dry to move in the processor, add water sparingly, about ½ teaspoon at a time. It should be thick but pipeable. Spoon feta mixture into a piping bag (or small snack-sized ziptop bag). Cut a small corner from one end of the bag, about ¼-inch/½ cm. Pipe mixture into the olives. Set aside.
2. Place flour in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. In a third shallow bowl, combine the panko, sesame seeds and nigella seeds. Working with 1 olive at a time, dredge in the flour, then in the eggs, and finally the breadcrumb mixture, gently pressing the breadcrumbs into the olive so it sticks. Space each breaded olive apart on a large plate or baking sheet. 
3. Heat 2 inches of oil in HexClad 3QT/3 L Hybrid Saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 375°F/190°C or another way to check if the oil is hot enough is to stick a wooden spoon in the oil and if small bubbles form around the spoon, this means the oil is hot enough.
4. 4. Fry olives in two batches, making sure they have plenty of room to fry, until golden brown and crisp, stirring occasionally, 1 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried olives to a paper-towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt. 
5. Make the dip. Spoon the yogurt onto a shallow serving plate or bowl. Heat oil and garlic in a HexClad 8"/20 cm Hybrid Fry Pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic becomes golden and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and immediately stir in the harissa paste until smooth, careful it may splatter a bit in the oil. Spoon hot harissa oil over the yogurt.
6. Serve fried olives with the harissa yogurt for dipping.