Fried Mozzarella Sticks

You don’t need much motivation to make these. They are snacks, fried and relatively easy to make..what else? And when the weather is always conducive to tea and snacks it just makes it all the more easier to indulge. In my opinion these are as good or better than the restaurant versions. These works as a great appetizer and can be made ahead to be fried  hot just before the party. And a great way to get your kids to eat some cheese too.

The addition of panko bread crumbs lends a very crispy,crunchy texture to this dish. So go ahead and try it!

Time: 30 min ( Preparation Time) 10 min ( Making Time)

Difficulty: Easy – Medium

Ingredients:

·         16 pieces String Cheese, with wrappers removed of course

·         ½ cups All-purpose Flour

·         2 whole Eggs

·         3 Tablespoons Milk

·         1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley Flakes

·         Canola Oil or any other oil, For Frying

·         Marinara Sauce or Maggi Hot and Sweet Ketchup, For Dipping

·         2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs

Method de Preparation:

1.     Slice string cheese pieces in half, for a total of 32 pieces.

2.     Place flour in a small bowl.

3.     In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.

4.  In another separate bowl, combine panko bread crumbs with parsley flakes. Add other spices if you like – basil, thyme etc.

5.       TO ASSEMBLE: One by one, roll mozzarella sticks in flour, then dunk in egg/milk mixture, then place in panko crumbs. Use your hand to sweep crumbs all over the mozzarella stick. Gently remove and place on a tray or cookie sheet. Repeat until all mozzarella sticks are coated. This is not easy to do and expect to make a mess. [ You can always have hubby dearest cleanup after because you made this delicious snack :P]

6.     Place tray in freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to freeze. I forgot this step and it was not fun I can tell you.

7.       TO COOK: Heat 1 1/2 inches canola oil in a medium to large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add mozzarella sticks 8 at a time. You can add even 1 at a time and stand there for 1 hr, it is totally upto you!! Watch closely and turn over to evenly brown, cooking less than 2 minutes. Do not allow cheese to bubble and leak.

8.     Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

9.     Serve immediately with warm marinara sauce or better still with ketchup!

Source: I saw this originally at PW cooks here and here; though I am sure many other versions exist.