Fried Cheese Sticks With Tomato Sauce Recipes

FRIED CHEESE STICKS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a small saucepan.
• Stir in tomato sauce, mushrooms, oregano and basil.
• Bring to boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Cover and keep warm while frying cheese.
• Combine bread crumbs, wheat germ and red pepper in a small bowl.
• Cut cheese into 2x1/2x1/2-inch sticks or 1 inch cubes.
• Dip each piece of cheese in eggs, then into the flour and then the crumbs to coat well; repeat one more time to ensure even coating.
• Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil to 375 degrees.
• Fry a few cheese pieces at a time for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until golden on all sides. (do not overcook or you will have a melted mess).
• Drain well on paper towels.
• Serve warm with tomato sauce.

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.