Crumble the feta cheese into a food processor, then pulse it a few times until it resembles fine crumbs. Then add the ricotta, oregano and lemon juice and process until it’s smooth and creamy. Add a drizzle of olive oil to help it loosen up if you think it needs it.
Blot your olives on kitchen paper if they’ve been stored in brine, then spoon the filling into a piping bag. Cut off the very end (to about the size of the hole in the olive), then pipe little bits of the feta mixture into each olive.
When all the olives are filled, begin heating your oil on a medium heat. While it heats up, put your flour, egg and breadcrumbs on three separate dishes. Roll the olives first in the flour, then dip them in the egg using a slotted spoon, then roll them in the breadcrumbs.
When the oil is hot enough (test with a cube of bread – it should brown within a minute or so if the oil is hot enough), fry the olives in batches for about 30 seconds or so or until they are a lovely golden brown. Fish them out with the slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper for a couple of minutes before serving with cocktail sticks for popping them into your mouth!
Notes
Filling the olives: You can use a piping bag with a very small nozzle or with the very end cut off. Or just a small plastic food bag will work.If you're short on time, there's nothing wrong with using store bought stuffed olives. Just dry on kitchen paper, crumb and fry!Preparing ahead: Fill and bread the olives ahead if you like. Cover and store in the fridge. When you're ready, fry and serve.How to serve: You can serve these on their own in a bowl at a party. Or you can put them on sticks and serve them as a party bite. Alternatively, serve them as part of a larger appetizer plate including meats, cheeses, jarred vegetables like sundried tomatoes and artichokes, and anything else you can think of.What to do with the leftover filling: Depending on how many olives you want to stuff, you'll possibly have a fair bit of the filling left. If you do, pipe the leftovers into a dish and use as a spread for sandwiches or a dip the next day!