My favorite mozzarella sticks came from a local pizza place called Garibaldi’s. It was THE place to go while I was in Junior High and I continued eating there for years and years until it suddenly closed late last year. The end of an era for people from my parts. Apparently they weren’t paying their taxes. But worst of all, where would I get my mozzarella stick fix from now on? Huge dilemma! Luckily for me I found this recipe from Pioneer Woman. I love dipping them in marinara, taking a bite and watching the melty cheese stretch and ooze. And while it absolutely satisfies my mozzarella stick cravings, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a Garibaldi’s re-opening too!
Note: We use a jarred marinara sauce because it’s easy and works perfect!
Here’s what you’ll need
Cut the string cheese in half
Get your assembly line ready
Coat the sticks in flour
Then in the egg/milk mixture
And finally cover the sticks with Panko
Place sticks in a dish and in the freezer to set
When you’re ready to fry you can use a deep fryer or a frying pan
Fry flipping halfway. Time varies, takes us about a minute or so
These look halfway done. They’re starting to become a nice golden color
Place them on a paper towel to dry
Nothing better than fried cheese
Ingredients
Flour
Eggs
Milk
Panko
Parsley flakes
Romano cheese (or pamigiano)
Mozzarella string cheese
Marinara sauce for dipping
Canola oil for frying
Directions
This recipe is not down to a science. It all depends how many mozzarella sticks you’re looking to make. You’ll get 2 mozzarella sticks per string cheese. Start by cutting the string cheese in half. Put enough flour in a bowl to coat all the string cheese. In another bowl crack 1 or 2 eggs and add a little bit of milk, whisk together. In a third bowl, combine enough Panko, parsley and romano cheese to coat the string cheese.
Line up your 3 bowls: flour first, egg mixture second, and Panko third. Dip in the flour first, shake off excess. Dip into the egg mixture second, shake off excess. Finally roll the cheese around in the Panko making sure it’s evenly covered.
Line all the mozzarella sticks on a baking dish and place in the freezer for as long as you want, but for at least 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a deep fryer or frying pan. If you are using a frying pan the oil needs to be at least 1½ inches deep. Place heat on medium. Fry until brown, flip the mozzarella sticks and brown on the other side. This is kind of tricky at first. You need to fry them long enough to melt the cheese but not so long that you burn the Panko. You’ll get the hang of it pretty quick.
Source: Pioneer Woman
