Mozzarella Sticks Giada De Laurentiis Food

TOMATO, MOZZARELLA AND BASIL BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In the bowl of a food processor, add drained tomatoes, 1 cup basil leaves, olive oil and 2 cloves garlic. Pulse until smooth, but somewhat chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
• On a baking sheet, line up baguette slices. Toast in oven for about 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Working quickly, rub the remaining garlic on the toasted side of each slice and then lay a piece of mozzarella cheese on top. Place bread back in oven and melt cheese slightly, about 45 seconds. Remove from oven and spread one tablespoon of the tomato mixture on each piece.
• Place bruschetta on decorative platter and garnish with basil leaves.

ANTIPASTI SKEWERS

Steps:

• Toss the mozzarella, olive oil, oregano and salt together in a small bowl.
• Thread six 8-inch skewers as follows: mozzarella, yellow pepper, cherry tomato, green olive, piquillo pepper, Kalamata olive, artichoke heart, salami, basil. Serve on a platter.

MOZZARELLA BAR

Steps:

• For the piquillo pesto: Combine the peppers, Parmesan, walnuts, olive oil, salt, chile paste and garlic in a food processor. Puree until smooth and evenly combined. Set aside.
• For the roasted tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toss the tomatoes with the basil, garlic, olive oil and salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and roast until softened and beginning to blister, 30 minutes.
• For the mushroom tapenade: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the shallots and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and season with the salt. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms have lost all their liquid and are turning golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with the basil, oregano, rosemary and lemon zest. Stir in the pine nuts and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• For the bar: Display all the different types of mozzarella and burrata on platters and plates. Set up a buffet around the cheese options with the 3 homemade toppings, along with the grilled bread and crostini, arugula, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, flaky salt and red pepper flakes. Invite guests to assemble their own bruschetta or salads.

MOZZARELLA STICKS ( GIADA DE LAURENTIIS )

Steps:

• Stir the bread crumbs, 1 cup of Parmesan and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl to blend.
• Dip the cheese in the eggs to coat completely and allow the excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Coat the cheese in the bread crumb mixture, patting to adhere and coat completely.
• Place the cheese sticks on a baking sheet. Repeat dipping the cheese sticks in the egg and bread crumb mixture to coat a second time. Cover and freeze until frozen, about 2 hours and up to 2 days.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the fried cheese to plates. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve with marinara sauce.

GIADA DE LAURENTIIS MOZZARELLA STICKS

Steps:

• Stir the bread crumbs, 1 cup of Parmesan and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl to blend.
• Dip the cheese in the eggs to coat completely and allow the excess egg to drip back into the bowl.
• Coat the cheese in the bread crumb mixture, patting to adhere and coat completely. Place the cheese sticks on a baking sheet.
• Repeat dipping the cheese sticks in the egg and bread crumb mixture to coat a second time.
• Cover and freeze until frozen, about 2 hours and up to 2 days.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
• Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.
• Transfer the fried cheese to plates. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve with the Marinara Sauce.
• Marinara Sauce:.
• In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame.
• Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
• Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour.
• Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using).

MOZZARELLA IN CARROZZA

Steps:

• Divide half of the cheese equally among 6 bread slices. Top with the basil leaves then the remaining cheese. Cover with the remaining bread slices, pressing gently, to form 6 sandwiches.
• Whisk the eggs, salt and pepper in a large bowl until well blended and frothy. Place the flour in a medium bowl. Add enough oil to a heavy large frying pan to come 1/2-inch up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil over medium heat. Dredge the sandwiches in the flour to coat lightly, then dredge them in the egg mixture to coat completely and place in the hot oil. Cook until the cheese melts and the sandwiches are golden, about 3 minutes per side. Cut the sandwiches into triangles. Transfer the sandwiches to a platter and serve with the pesto.

BUCATINI ALL'AMATRICIANA WITH SPICY SMOKED MOZZARELLA MEATBALLS

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta and reserve. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and the cooked pancetta. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• For the meatballs: Position an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine the onion, 1/2 cup parsley, 2/3 cup Parmesan, bread crumbs, egg, ketchup, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the beef and veal. Using your hands, combine all ingredients gently but thoroughly. Shape the meat mixture into 16 (1 1/2-inch-diameter) meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Make a hole in the center of each meatball and place a cube of mozzarella inside. Reform the meatball so that the mozzarella is completely covered with the meat mixture. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes until cooked through.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and place in a large serving bowl. Add the meatballs and sauce. Toss gently and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and Parmesan.

SPAGHETTINI WITH CHECCA SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the next 7 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse just until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped (do not puree).
• Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the tomato mixture and fresh mozzarella in a large bowl. Add some of the reserved pasta water (about 1/4 cup) if the sauce looks dry. Serve immediately.

MOZZARELLA PILLOWS - GIADA DE LAURENTIIS

Steps:

• Special equipment: scalloped ravioli cutter.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Place the marinara sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook until reduced to a thick, jam-like consistency, about 30 minutes. There should be 1 1/2 to 2 cups of reduced sauce. Let the sauce cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Stir in the mozzarella cheese and prosciutto.
• Meanwhile, place 1 piece of dough on a work surface. Roll the dough out gently until you can cut an 8 1/2 by 9 1/2-inch rectangle. Press the scraps into a small rectangle and roll it out to the same thickness as the other rectangle. Cut 3 rectangles from the large rectangle and 1 rectangle from the small rectangle. Each should measure 8 1/2 by 3 inches. Continue rolling and cutting the remaining pie dough.
• To form the tarts, place the rectangles on a work surface. Brush each rectangle with egg wash. Place a large spoonful of the marinara mixture in the middle of the bottom half of the rectangle. Fold the dough in half over the marinara mixture to make a 3 by 4-inch rectangle. Press the edges to seal. Using a scalloped ravioli cutter, trim the rectangles to make a decorative edge. Place the tarts on the baking sheets. Brush with egg wash and generously sprinkle with cheese. Bake until golden, about 20 to 25 minutes.