Nana’s Kitchen: Fried Mozzarella sticks

Nana’s Kitchen: Fried Mozzarella sticks

Greetings, home cooks, welcome to Nana’s Kitchen,

Well, winter continues. I am ready for spring and my flower garden. Just some wishful thinking. I have taken up the craft of crochet. I think it could be considered and art form. I am a novice but I am so excited to be learning this. There are probably many of you out there that have pursued crochet for many years. My hat is off to you. In between my new crochet project, the granny square, I have continued to experiment, sample, and try new recipes and old. Snowy days make for kitchen adventures. 

This is the third recipe for the Super Bowl. More fried food. This will be the last of the fried food for a while. I need to give us a break from fried goodness and try something with less grease. 

Mozzarella is an Italian creation originally made with Italian buffalos milk and still is today. It can be eaten fresh just after making. An imitation can also be made with cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, or goat’s milk. It is available in bricks, pearls or small balls, or shredded. Mozzarella is a semi-soft cheese that is white in color but can be slightly yellow depending on the milk used. It’s melting and stretchy characteristics endear it to many on pizza and other recipes.

Fried Mozzarella sticks

Ingredients:
12 ounces Mozzarella string cheese or block of Mozarrella, low moisture,8 ounces or whatever is available. Cut into sticks.
1 cup flour
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon water, milk, or buttermilk
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil for frying

You will need 3 shallow bowls or pie plates. Cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bowl #1 mix eggs and water or milk.
Bowl # 2 flour combined with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste
Bowl # 3 Panko bread crumbs

Dip each stck in the egg mixture, let excess egg drip off.
Place stick in flour, gently shake off excess.
Re-dip the stick in the egg.
Re-dip in the flour. 
Place in Panko crumbs.
Place on cookie sheet.
So… egg-flour-egg-flour-Panko

Once all the sticks are done place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 2 hours.

When ready to fry heat oil to 325 to 350 degrees in frying pan or Dutch oven. You will need 2 inches of oil.
Remove sticks from freezer and fry a few at a time for 30 to 60 SECONDS.
Place on wire rack or plate with paper towels.
Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
Enjoy!

Hints:
The sticks must be frozen or they will melt in the oil.
60 seconds is more than enough time to fry these.
My oil got too hot and the sticks browned too quickly and the cheese did not get melty in the center as I would have liked. Still tasted good.
Keep the temperature of your oil at 325 – 350 degrees.
When doing the Panko you can gently press them in a little.
The sticks can be cut in half and made into smaller sticks if preferred.
Use other spices as you like. Paprika for a little kick?
These can be frozen the day ahead and fried when needed.
Use whatever dipping sauces the family likes. I used marinara.
Be sure not to crowd the frying pan when doing these, cooking goes fast.

Thank you for reading these articles.
May you have a blessed Sunday.