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Mozzarella Sticks. Gooey mozzarella cheese coated in a crispy bread crumb crust, baked to golden perfection. Perfect party appetizer or snack!
Ingredients
12 sticks part-skim mozzarella string cheese
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2/3 cup Italian seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/3 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Olive oil cooking spray — or an olive oil mister like this one
Marinara sauce — for serving (or ranch dressing if that's more your style)
Instructions
Slice each piece of cheese in half cross-wise so that you have 24 shorter pieces. Arrange the cheese in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate, then freeze until completely solid, about 1 hour.
When ready to bake, place the flour in a shallow bowl (a pie dish works well). In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the egg, egg white, and 1 tablespoon water until well combined. In a third shallow bowl, combine the whole wheat bread crumbs, panko, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Arrange the plates in line (flour, eggs, breadcrumbs). Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Working no more than 2 to 3 cheese sticks at a time, dip the frozen cheese sticks in the flour, shaking off excess, then into the egg, then place in the bowl with the crumbs and lightly pat to coat (if you tackle too many cheese sticks at a time, the egg will freeze right onto the cheese and no longer be sticky enough for the crumbs to adhere). Place the breaded cheese sticks on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining cheese sticks. Place cheese back into the freezer for at least 2 hours or overnight (this is a MUST or the cheese will melt before the crumbs turn golden).
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with the olive oil spray. Arrange the frozen cheese sticks on the sheet, leaving about 3/4 inch between each. Lightly coat the tops of the sticks with the oil.
Bake in the lower third of your oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cheese is heated through and the crumbs are golden. Let stand 3 minutes. Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping. (I like to heat the sauce up first.)
Recipe Notes
Regular mozzarella cheese, cut into 4 inch by 1/2 inch sticks, can be substituted for the string cheese.
TO MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZE: Cheese sticks can be prepared through Step 3 and frozen overnight. For longer-term storage, transfer the frozen sticks to a ziptop bag and freeze for several months. Bake directly from frozen.
TO STORE: Mozzarella sticks are best enjoyed immediately after making. You can try saving the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, then reheating them gently in a 350 degree F oven until warmed through.
Nutritional information has been calculated with half the amount of flour and bread crumb mixture, as not all of it is used, but you do need extra on each plate to be able to completely coat the cheese stick.
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