Cheese Sticks Recipe From Scratch

GOOEY CHEESE STICKS (FRIED OR BAKED)

Steps:

• Open the cheese strings and cut each in half. Cover and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours or until completely frozen.
• Combine flour and cornstarch in a small bowl. Combine the Italian and Panko bread crumbs in a separate shallow dish. In third small bowl, whisk eggs and olive oil until well combined.
• Dip each cheese stick half into the egg mixture and then gently roll into the flour mixture.
• Put back into the egg mixture and roll until coated. Finally, place into the bread crumbs pressing the crumbs on each piece of cheese to make sure it's coated all around so the cheese doesn't leak out.
• Place in the freezer while the oil preheats. Preheat oil to 350°F. It should be hot enough that a few crumbs dropped into the oil will bubble.
• In small batches, place breaded cheese sticks into the hot oil for about 2 minutes or just until browned. Do not overcook or the cheese will leak out.
• Serve hot with warm pasta sauce.

CHEESE STICKS

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat cheese spread, butter and egg white until fluffy. Cut crust from bread. Slice bread 1 in. thick; cut each slice into 1-in. strips. Spread the cheese mixture on all sides of each strip and place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm. Unbaked cheese sticks may be frozen for up to 4 months. Bake as directed (they do not need to be thawed first).

HOW TO MAKE CHEESE STICKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Place a sheet of frozen puff pastry dough onto a floured work surface and allow dough to thaw just until it can be unfolded. Unfold dough into a flat sheet; brush top of puff pastry dough with olive oil. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
• Sprinkle white Cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese onto the dough, covering the surface. Top with a piece of plastic wrap; press cheese and seasonings firmly into the dough with your fingers or by laying a sheet pan onto the dough over the plastic and pressing it down.
• Remove plastic and use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough down the seam lines into thirds; cut each third lengthwise into thirds for a total of 9 breadsticks.
• Pick up a dough strip, place it seasoned side down on the work surface, and twist from both ends 8 or 9 times to make a rolled tube of dough with the seasoned side out. Place breadsticks onto prepared baking sheet.
• Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the sticks. Roll the sticks lightly to even up their shapes and pick up and press any dropped cheese onto the surfaces.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes; flip and continue baking until breadsticks are browned and crisp, 10 to 20 more minutes. If you pick up a stick by one end and it droops, bake for several more minutes. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

ITALIAN CHEESE STICKS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Lightly roll out the sheet of pastry into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle, then brush with the melted butter. Sprinkle over the mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, the oregano and basil. Using a rolling pin, press the cheese into the pastry. Cut the 12-inch side of the pastry into 12 strips. Twist each strip about 5 times and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Mix together the egg and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Brush the strips with the egg mixture and sprinkle over the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake until golden brown and puffed, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool before removing from the baking sheet. Serve the cheese sticks with warm marinara alongside.

MOZZARELLA STICKS

Steps:

• Stir the bread crumbs, 1 cup of Parmesan and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl to blend. Dip the cheese in the eggs to coat completely and allow the excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Coat the cheese in the bread crumb mixture, patting to adhere and coat completely. Place the cheese sticks on a baking sheet. Repeat dipping the cheese sticks in the egg and bread crumb mixture to coat a second time. Cover and freeze until frozen, about 2 hours and up to 2 days.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the fried cheese to plates. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve with the Marinara Sauce.
• In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

EASY CHEESE STICKS

Steps:

• Place cheese sticks on tray; freeze at least 1 hour.
• Heat 2 inches of oil to 375°F in large heavy saucapan or follow manufacturer's direction on deep fryer. Beat Bisquick mix, paprika, milk and egg until smooth. Dip cheese, 1 stick at a time, into batter, covering cheese completely.
• Fry 8 to 10 sticks at a time 1 to 2 minutes, turning carefully, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with marinara sauce.

MOZZARELLA STICKS

Steps:

• Whisk eggs and milk together.
• Coat each piece of cheese with flour, then dip in egg and then roll in bread crumbs.
• Dip in egg and crumbs again.
• Freeze before frying.
• Heat oil in skillet and cook sticks for about a minute on each side, or until golden and before cheese starts to leak.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Serve with sauce for dipping.

EASY CHEESE STRAWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Beat in cheese until blended. Combine flour, salt and cayenne; stir into cheese mixture until a dough forms. Roll into a 15x6-in. rectangle. Cut into thirty 6-in. strips. Gently place strips 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets., Bake until lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

HOME-FRIED CHEESE STICKS

Steps:

• Remove string cheese sticks from plastic wrappings and cut the strings in half crosswise.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place eggs in a bowl and bread crumbs into a large shallow bowl.
• Dip cheese stick halves into egg and roll in bread crumbs to completely coat the sticks; place breaded cheese sticks onto the prepared baking sheet. Allow cheese sticks to stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes to set, and repeat dipping in egg and bread crumbs to form a thick coating. Freeze breaded cheese sticks for at least 2 hours.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Deep fry cheese sticks, a few at a time, until the coating is golden brown and crisp and the cheese is soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Let sticks drain on paper towels; cool slightly and serve warm.

SPICY CHEESE STICKS

Steps:

• Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper into a mixing bowl. Add shortening and cut in with a pastry blender until well incorporated. (I think you could do this with a few pulses in a food processor.) Stir in Cheddar cheese, onion, and Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces. Add buttermilk and stir to make a soft dough.
• Wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 475°F
• On a lightly floured board, roll out dough into an 8-x 12-inch rectangle. Wrap loosely around rolling pin and transfer to a cold lightly greased baking sheet. With a metal spatula, cut dough in half lengthwise, then cut across at 1-inch intervals to form the sticks. Brush sticks with melted butter, sprinkle with Parmesan and bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
• Immediately remove from baking sheet and serve hot, or cool on wire racks before storing in airtight containers.