Cheese Sticks

The easiest Cheese Sticks you can make any day of the week is this recipe. The best thing about this – you can make ahead, freeze and take it out to fry just before you need it. It is a perfect appetizer and well loved by kids as well as adults! The marinara sauce can also be prepared ahead of time. Don’t you just love the sound of that? Next time you have guests make this appetizer and let me know how it goes @sarchakra

Ingredients

Mozzarella String Cheese 12 oz
Salt 1 tsp
Black pepper 2 tsp
Paprika 1 tsp
Dry oregano 1 tsp
Dry thyme 1 tsp
Eggs 3, beaten
Flour 1 cup
Panko breadcrumbs 2 cups
Parmesan grated
Oil for frying
Marinara sauce to serve (recipe below)

Method

Separate the cheese strings and put on a plate. Put the beaten eggs in a bowl and the flour on a plate. Season the Panko breadcrumbs with salt, pepper, paprika, dry oregano, dry thyme and grated parmesan. Gently mix. Keep aside.
Dip each cheese string into the beaten egg, then dredge on the flour.
Dip the cheese string into the egg again and then roll in the seasoned Panko breadcrumbs. Coat completely. Repeat for the rest of the string cheese.
Put the sticks in the fridge for 20 mins to set.
Now take each string cheese and dip in the beaten egg mixture again. Roll on the seasoned breadcrumbs.
Lay the breaded cheese strings on a tray and put in the freezer for at least 30 mins.
Heat oil. Deep fry the breaded cheese strings in batches of 4-5 for a few minutes till golden and crunchy.
Serve with marinara sauce.

Notes

Do not drain on kitchen towels. Keep the fried cheese strings on a plate and let the oil drip. This way it will stay crunchy.

It is important to freeze the breaded cheese strings. It keeps the cheese intact while frying and prevents it from oozing too much into the pan and cooking too fast. You want the outside to turn golden and the mozzarella just cooked.

Fry the cheese sticks on a medium high flame so that it cooks quickly but doesn’t brown too easily and the cheese just about melts.

Putting the mozzarella sticks in the fridge after the first dredging allows it to settle and stick to the string cheese so that at the next dredge the breadcrumbs adhere even better.

Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

Tomato 1 can
Olive oil 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Black pepper 1 tsp
Chili flakes 1 tsp
Dry oregano 1 tsp
Dry thyme 1 tsp
Garlic 2 cloves
Basil a few for garnish

Method

Use a food processor to purée the tomatoes.
Heat olive oil. Fry the garlic for a few seconds. Add the puréed tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, dry oregano, dry thyme and basil.

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