Fried Mozzarella Skewers Food

MOZZARELLA STICKS

Steps:

• Cut the mozzarella into 'chips'. Tip the flour into a bowl and season well. Whisk the eggs in a second bowl and tip the breadcrumbs, paprika and oregano into a third. Coat the mozzarella sticks in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a parchment-lined tray and freeze for at least 2 hrs.
• Heat enough oil to come 2-3cm up the side of a saucepan. When hot, drop in a test chip - it should sizzle straight away and brown within a minute or two. The secret is to cook them long enough to crisp up the outside without letting the mozzarella ooze out - it may take you a few practice chips to get it right. Cook the chips in batches and drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot with your favourite dip.

FRIED MOZZARELLA SKEWERS

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Pour the olive oil into a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When the olive oil is hot, add the chopped garlic. Cook and stir until garlic is sizzling and fragrant, taking care not to burn it. Add the anchovies and capers, and stir until capers dissolve into the oil. Add the butter and melt it, then pour in the white wine and lemon juice. Bring to a rapid simmer, and cook until reduced by half, about 6 to 7 minutes. Keep warm.
• Lay four slices of bread on your work surface. Top with the sliced mozzarella, making sure the cheese does not extend over the edges of the bread, trimming to fit if necessary. Top with remaining bread, to make four sandwiches. Seal each sandwich at each corner with a toothpick (four picks per sandwich).
• Spread flour on a rimmed plate. Beat eggs and milk together in a wide, shallow bowl. Heat about 1/2 inch vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat; oil is ready when a crust of bread sizzles on contact.
• Dredge sandwiches well in flour, making sure to coat all sides and tap off the excess. Soak the sandwiches on all sides in the egg, letting the excess egg drip back into the bowl. Carefully ease the sandwiches into the oil, and fry until they're golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the sandwiches, and drain well on paper towels. Remove the toothpicks and use a serrated knife to cut them in half on the diagonal.
• Return the sauce to a simmer, and stir in the parsley. Spread the sauce on four serving plates, then top with a sandwich and serve hot.

FRIED MOZZARELLA SANDWICH SKEWERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to lowest setting.
• Combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a shallow 9x9 baking dish.
• Beat until well mixed and set aside.
• Place flour in another shallow pan and set aside.
• Trim crusts off bread slices.
• Using 8 slices of bread, make a stacked sandwich, fitting the mozzarella between slices.
• Imagine the stack divided into 4 equal quadrants.
• Stick a sturdy skewer right through the center of each one of the quadrants.
• Using a serrate-edge knife, cut the stack downwards, so there are 4 separate stacks with a skewer through the center of each.Repeat with the remaining bread slices and cheese.
• Pour enough oil into a heavy pan to reach 1 1/2 inches deep.
• Bring oil up to 350 degrees.
• Line a baking sheet with several layers of paper towels.
• Dredge each skewered sandwich in the flour, to coat lightly.
• Dip each skewer sandwich in the egg mixture and allow to drain briefly.
• Don't soak the bread till it's soggy, just lightly coat.
• Place skewers in oil, frying and turning with tongs until golden brown and crusty, about 4 minutes a side.
• Repeat as necessary until all skewers are cooked.
• Set all aside on paper towels to drain.
• SAUCE:.
• Heat olive oil and garlic in a heavy pan over medium heat until garlic is golden.
• DO NOT OVERCOOK the garlic as it will become bitter.
• Stir anchovies into oil until they dissolve.
• Add capers and cook until they begin to sizzle.
• Add lemon juice and white wine.
• Bring all to a vigorous boil and add the stock.
• Boil until thickened slightly, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the parsley and remove from heat.
• Plate the sandwiches, 2 to a plate.
• Remove the skewers if desired.
• Serve the sauce in bowls on the side or poured around the sandwiches on the plate.

FRIED MOZZARELLA BITES

Steps:

• Heat 2 inches olive oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat. Cut each pound of mozzarella and smoked mozzarella into 16 cubes. Set up a breading station: flour, 2 eggs beaten with 1/3 cup milk, Italian bread crumbs mixed with a couple of handfuls of grated cheese. Reserve the chopped parsley. Roll fresh plain mozzarella in flour, dip in egg, then coat in bread crumbs. Bread all the plain mozzarella, then add chopped parsley to the bread crumbs. Coat the cubed smoked mozzarella in flour, egg, then Italian bread crumbs mixed with parsley. The chopped parsley will allow you to distinguish between the fresh and fresh smoked cheese once fried. Place herbs into hot oil and fry 30 to 45 seconds. Be careful not to stand over pan, the oil will spatter a little because of the water content in herbs. Remove herbs with a slotted kitchen tool and transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Season immediately with fine salt. Fry the mozzarella bites in batches in a single layer. Cook until evenly deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and cool mozzarella bites on a paper towel-lined surface. Let stand and cool a few minutes so that the cheese will not be too runny when bitten into.
• For dipping sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and crushed pepper flakes. Saute garlic and hot pepper 2 or 3 minutes, and add tomatoes. Season with salt.
• To assemble your serving plate, pile mozzarella bites, alternating them with fried herbs. Set the dipping sauce in a bowl along side the balls and pile bamboo skewers or party picks on the edge of the plate to spear and dip the bites.
• Add some mixed olives, celery sticks, long bread sticks to round out this finger food selection.