Ingredients

• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese, room temperature
• 2 ounces chèvre (fresh goat cheese), room temperature
• The leaves from 3 stems thyme
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Perrier or seltzer water
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 40 Nicoise olives, pitted
• 40 large green olives, pitted
• Fleur de sel and lemon wedges for serving

Procedure

1. Fill a cast iron skillet at least 1 inch deep with vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat, and bring to 350°F.
2. Meanwhile, make the filling. Mix together the ricotta, chèvre, thyme, and lemon zest. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Make the batter, by whisking together the flour, Perrier, baking powder, and salt.
4. Dip the black olives in the batter, and fry in batches. They will be golden and puffed in 30 to 60 seconds.
5. Meanwhile, fit a baggie with a pastry tip, and fill with the ricotta mixture. Pipe the green olives with just a bit of the stuffing. Then, dip them in the batter as with the black olives, and fry 60 to 90 seconds.
6. Drain all the olives on paper towel, and sprinkle with fleur de sel or sea salt, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.