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Mozzarella Sticks with Marinara Sauce

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Mozzarella sticks are my favorite appetizers. They are always on top of my list whenever I eat out. For this reason I decided to make some at home. It may be a bit tricky to keep the coating on. This is why it is best to freeze them to make sure that the cheese does not leak out. I suggest that you try it with a few sticks first. If you need to coat the mozzarella again, you can do so with more breadcrumbs and Parmesan.

These melt in your mouth cheese sticks are best eaten with marinara sauce. I prefer the sauce cold, but you can also re-heat it if desired. I also like the hint of spiciness thus the dash of paprika, but you can do without this and add a dash of ground pepper instead.

 

Ingredients:

For the batter:

1/2 cup plain flour

1/4 cup corn flour

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup water

Salt to taste

 

For the mozzarella sticks:

1 1/2 cups Italian-style dried breadcrumbs

1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan

2 (16-ounce) blocks pasteurized mozzarella

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

 

For the marinara sauce:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

2 32 ounce cans crushed tomatoes

2 dried bay leaves

 

Cut the mozzarella into 1/2 inch sticks and then freeze them for an hour or overnight.

To prepare the marinara sauce, heat the oil in a casserole pot or saucepan. Sauté the garlic and

onions until he onions are translucent, around 2-4 minutes. Add the celery and the carrots. Cook it for another 8-10 minutes until soft. Stir in the tomatoes and add the bay leaves. Let it simmer for 30-40 minutes until the sauce thickens. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves and discard them. Let the sauce cool and then refrigerate.

Combine the flour, corn flour, oregano, paprika and water in a medium sized bowl. Mix to form a batter and season it with salt. Set aside.

Next, combine the Parmesan and the breadcrumbs in a small bowl. After place it on a flat plate.

Dip the mozzarella sticks in batter and then let the excess batter drip off. Coat the battered mozzarella in the breadcrumbs mixture and then repeat the process to double coat the cheese. Place the mozzarella sticks on a baking sheet and freeze them for another 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Heat the oil in a frying pan or deep fryer and then fry the frozen mozzarella sticks until golden brown. Transfer the cooked mozzarella on a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil. Serve immediately with the marinara sauce.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  irrezolut

 

 

Mozzarella Sticks

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I love cheese, thus the fascination with mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce. Here’s a recipe I adapted from Giada De Laurentis. Of course, I made some changes according to my taste.

Ingredients:

For the marinara sauce

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2 (32 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes

2 dried bay leaves

For the mozzarella sticks

1 1/2 cups Italian-style dried breadcrumbs

1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 pieces 16-ounce blocks pasteurized mozzarella cut into 4 by 1/2-inch sticks

4 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

In a deep saucepan or casserole, heat the oil under medium heat. Sauté the garlic and onions for 5 minutes or until the onions are soft. Stir in the tomatoes (including the juices) and celery. Season it with 1/2 a teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the celery bits are soft. Add the bay leaves and simmer for another 20 minutes under low fire or until the sauce thickens. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Pour the mixture in a blender and blend for 30 seconds or until there are no more solid parts. Season it with salt and pepper. Set it aside or refrigerate if you prepared it in advance.

Combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a bowl and mix well. Transfer it to a plate.

Dredge the mozzarella in flour. Dip it in beaten egg and let the excess egg drip back into the bowl. After, roll it in the bread crumbs mixture. Repeat this process for all the mozzarella sticks. When you are done, dip the mozzarella sticks in egg; let the excess egg drip. Coat it in bread crumbs for the second time. Place them in a baking sheet. Cover and freeze until frozen (2 hours – 2 days).

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or deep fryer. Fry the mozzarella sticks until golden brown. Drain the excess oil using paper towels or in a strainer. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with cheese or chopped parsley if desired. Serve warm with marinara sauce.

Photo Courtesy Of: irrezolut