Wok Fried Mozzarella Sticks With Dipping Sauce 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.

WOK-FRIED MOZZARELLA STICKS WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Pass tomatoes through the grater disc of a food processor. Stir in salt, olive oil, black pepper and basil. Set aside.
• Cut cheese curd into very small pieces and place in shallow, wide heatproof dish a couple inches deep, like a roasting pan.
• In large pot over high heat, bring 2 quarts water to 185 to 190 degrees. Stir in kosher salt, then pour over curds. Let curds sit, undisturbed, for a full minute.
• Press curds into corner of the pan with spoon or spatula and gently pack together. In three to four minutes, they will form a mass. The moment that happens, pour water from pan and knead cheese like bread dough until smooth and lump-free. (At this point, if not continuing with recipe, the cheese can be twisted into balls, plunged into cold water or milk to set the shape, and eaten as fresh mozzarella.)
• Press cheese into a loaf pan and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, to set it. Meanwhile, set up station to bread the mozzarella: a shallow dish of flour, a shallow dish of beaten eggs and a shallow dish of bread crumbs.
• Move mozzarella to cutting board and trim into batons about 3 inches long and an inch thick. Roll in flour and then egg, flour and then egg again, and heap on the bread crumbs.
• Heat oil in a wok on stove over high heat. At 375 degrees, use a slotted spoon to lower mozzarella sticks into oil one at a time. Fry for a minute or less - just until golden brown. Drain on rack; blot dry. Serve mozzarella sticks with sauce on the side.

GARLIC AND HERB MOZZARELLA STICKS WITH MARINARA DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 1 inch of oil in a deep pan to 330 degrees F.
• Place the flour in a shallow dish, season with salt and pepper then stir. Beat together the egg with salt and pepper in a second shallow dish. Place the finely crushed garlic and herb pita chips in a third shallow dish. Dip each cheese stick half in flour, shaking off the excess, then in the egg, then repeat the flour and egg. Lastly, dip each in the pita chips, pressing to coat. At this point, freeze for 15 minutes to firm the sticks before frying.
• Combine the marinara, cream and pesto in a small sauce pot. Stir and heat through.
• Fry the mozzarella sticks in the hot oil, turning, until golden brown on all sides, about 30 seconds. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

FRIED MOZZARELLA WITH PUTTANESCA DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Pat the mozzarella dry, making sure there is no water on the surface, and set aside.
• Place the flour in a shallow dish.
• Mix together the milk and eggs and place in a shallow bowl.
• Stir together the bread crumbs, Essence, and salt and place in a shallow dish.
• Heat vegetable oil about 1 1/2 inches deep, in a heavy saucepan or deep-fryer over medium-high heat to 325 to 330 degrees F.
• Dredge the mozzarella in the flour, shaking off any excess flour.
• Dip in the egg mixture and then the bread crumbs.
• Place mozzarella in hot oil and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• Allow the mozzarella to stand for 3 to 5 minutes before serving, to allow the cheese to melt the entire way through.
• Serve warm on skewers or fondue forks with Puttanesca Dipping Sauce.
• To make the dipping sauce:.
• In a medium pot heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
• Add the onion and saute until soft and lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and the remaining ingredients and simmer until the sauce is thickened and slightly reduced, about 20 minutes.
• Add salt to taste, cover and set aside.
• Serve sauce warm or at room temperature.
• Enjoy!
• Yield: about 3 cups To make the Essence:.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Yield: 2/3 cup.

FRIED MOZZARELLA STICKS

Steps:

• Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wide, shallow pot to about 365 degrees F. (If you don't have an oil thermometer, drop a few bread crumbs in. If they sizzle but don't burn, the oil is ready.)
• Cut the mozzarella into four slabs, then cut each slab into four pieces, to get sixteen sticks. Spread the flour and the bread crumbs on separate rimmed plates. Put the eggs in a shallow bowl, and lightly beat them. Season with salt.
• If using the basil, dip the leaves in the beaten egg and let the excess drip off back into the bowl. Put a leaf on each of the mozzarella sticks, down the length of the stick, and press to adhere. Don't worry if the leaf doesn't stick completely; it will stay on once you begin the breading process.
• Working a few at a time, dredge the mozzarella sticks first in flour, then in the beaten egg, then in the bread crumbs. Once they're breaded, dip them again one by one into the egg and bread crumbs, so that no cheese is visible.
• When the oil is ready, drop half of the mozzarella sticks gently into the skillet. Fry until golden on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes in all. Remove mozzarella sticks with a spider, or slotted spatula, to drain on paper towels. Season with salt. Repeat process with remaining mozzarella sticks. Serve warm, with marinara sauce for dipping.