Dirty Vodka Martini with Fried Olives

Welcome back to Sips and Nibbles with Sapling x Julius Roberts, your go-to series for sustainable cocktail pairing ideas and easy appetizer recipes. Using fresh, locally sourced ingredients, we’re bringing together the best of seasonal food and drink. Today’s match is a Dirty Vodka Martini, crafted with climate-positive spirits, served alongside golden, salty fried olives stuffed with feta - a pairing that’s equal parts elegant and effortless.

Dirty Martini 

50ml Sapling Regenerative Vodka
10ml Dry Vermouth 
10ml Olive Brine
Ice

Measure all ingredients, and pour them over ice into a shaker or a mixing glass, depending on how you like to chill down your martini. Shake/Stir until cool. Strain into your martini glass. Garnish with an olive.
To make your dirty vodka martini extra delicious we recommend you keep a bottle of Sapling Regenerative Vodka in your freezer for it to reach its full potential. 

Fried Olives

2 tins Perello olives (or your favourite large pitted green olives)
50g Feta, mozzarella also works incredibly well
4 tbsp Plain flour
1 Egg beaten
100g Panko breadcrumbs
300ml Sunflower oil for deep frying

Stuff each olive with as much feta as possible. Grab three bowls and fill separately with the whisked egg, flour and panko breadcrumbs.
Roll the olives in the flour, then in the egg and finally in the panko breadcrumbs. Making sure each is well covered. 
Pour the oil into a pan, so that it’s deep enough to submerge the olives. Heat to 175 degrees centigrade. Shallow fry the olives in batches, turning them over in the pan until golden and crisp all over. Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.