Pan Fried Mozzarella Parcels Recipes

FRIED MOZZARELLA STICKS

Steps:

• Cut the mozzarella into approximately 2-1/2-by-1/2-inch sticks (you should have about 16 sticks, depending on the shape of your mozzarella).
• Put the flour in a small bowl. Beat the milk with the eggs in another bowl. Stir together the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a third wide, shallow bowl.
• Working one at a time, coat a mozzarella stick in flour and shake off the excess. Dip the stick in egg, letting the excess drip off, then add it to the breadcrumbs and roll it to coat. Dip the stick in the egg one more time, again letting the excess drip off, and roll it in a final coat of breadcrumbs. You can pat the mozzarella stick gently between your hands to smooth out the coating. Transfer the coated mozzarella stick to a platter. Repeat with the remaining mozzarella sticks. Refrigerate the mozzarella sticks until cold, about 15 minutes.
• Heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F. Have a large brown paper bag ready for the fried sticks (they will stick to paper towels). Add half of the mozzarella sticks and fry, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 1 minute total. Transfer to the paper bag to drain. Return the oil to 350 degrees F (this is important, as the cheese will seep out if it is not hot enough) and fry the remaining mozzarella sticks.
• Serve hot with Homemade Pizza Sauce on the side.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oregano, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, with the saucepan loosely covered in foil to avoid splattering and stirring occasionally, until fairly thick, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your tomatoes. Remove the basil.

FRIED MOZZARELLA PUFFS

Steps:

• Combine water, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer; pour in flour all at once and reduce heat to medium. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until a dough starts coming together. Cook, scraping up and stirring the dough, for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat; transfer dough to a mixing bowl. Let cool until no longer hot but still very warm, 5 to 10 minutes. Add egg and season with cayenne and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk vigorously until mixture combines into a very soft, sticky dough. Switch to a spatula and scrape dough into a ball.
• Seal dough and spatula with plastic wrap and refrigerate in the bowl until cool, about 1 hour.
• In the meantime, season marinara sauce with oregano, red pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar in a small pot over medium heat. Add anchovy fillet. Stir together and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes; turn off heat and let sit until ready to use.
• Grate mozzarella cheese over the dough and stir to combine.
• Heat oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a deep fryer or heavy-duty pan over medium heat. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (93 degrees C) or any temperature for keeping warm.
• Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough per puff and form into a football shape using two spoons. Fry puffs, 5 or 6 at a time, in the hot oil until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Keep puffs warm in low oven while frying the rest. Serve with hot marinara sauce.

PAN FRIED MOZZARELLA WRAPPED IN PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Divide the mozzarella into four equal portions.
• Wrap one slice of prosciutto (or more if needed)around each portion of mozzarella making sure it is well covered and secure with toothpicks.
• Season all the parcels with pepper.
• Heat olive oil in a shallow non stick frying pan.
• Add the mozzarella parcels and pan fry until the prosciutto is starting to brown and go slighly crispy and the cheese starts to melt.
• Dress salad leaves in the balsamic vinegar, tossing well to distibute evenly.
• Arrange salad on a plate and top with parcels.
• Serve with chutney or fruit sauce.

PAN-FRIED MOZZARELLA PARCELS

Steps:

• Cut the mozzarella into thirds and wrap each piece in a slice of speck or prosciutto. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan until very hot. Season the mozzarella and fry for a few minutes on each side until the speck or prosciutto is brown and crisp and the mozzarella is starting to ooze. Tip from James: the tip is to cook the mozzarella quickly so it doesn't toughen.
• While the mozzarella is cooking, arrange small piles of lettuce on four plates. Peel, stone and slice the avocados, adding a few slices to each plate. Remove the mozzarella parcels from the pan and put 3 on each plate.
• Pour the balsamic vinegar into the pan and stir to combine with the cooking juices. Drizzle the warm dressing over the leaves and parcels. Serve with plum chutney and slices of ciabatta or focaccia.

BAKED MOZZARELLA WRAPPED IN PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced.
• For each mozzarella, lay 2 slices of prosciutto on a flat surface side by side slightly overlapping and top with a basil leaf and a few slices of garlic (reserve a few slices to make dressing) and then top with mozzarella, wrap prosciutto to enclose and secure with a toothpick.
• Season with pepper and place on a baking tray and bake for 3 to 4 minutes or until mozzarella soften slightly and remove from oven and cool slightly and then remove toothpicks.
• Meanwhile, blend extra basil and reserved garlic in a food processor until finely chopped with a motor running, gradually add oil and process until smooth and season with salt.
• Spoon basil sauce onto serving plates and top with mozzarella parcels.