Double-Breaded Fried Mozzarella Sticks

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Low-moisture mozzarella cut into thick batons, breaded twice for an armored crust, then frozen solid so it hits the oil cold and comes out molten instead of leaking. Crisp, golden, and stretchy all the way through — the trattoria appetizer that finally works in a home kitchen.

Ingredients

• 1 lb low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, in a block

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• 2 cups plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, lightly crushed
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 6 cups neutral oil for frying, such as canola or peanut

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 14.5-oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• to taste salt

Instructions

1. Unwrap the mozzarella block and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Cut it into batons about 3 inches long, 3/4 inch wide, and 3/4 inch thick — you should get 16 to 18 sticks. Thicker is better than thinner; thin sticks melt through before the crust sets.
2. Set up three shallow dishes. In the first, whisk the flour with 1/4 teaspoon salt. In the second, beat the eggs with the milk until completely uniform with no streaks. In the third, combine the dried breadcrumbs, crushed panko, Parmesan, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper.
3. First coat: roll each stick in flour, tapping off the excess, then dip in egg, letting it drip for a second, then press firmly into the breadcrumbs, rolling and pressing so every face is covered. Set on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Repeat with all sticks.
4. Second coat — this is the step that keeps the cheese inside: dip each breaded stick back into the egg (skip the flour this time), then back into the breadcrumbs, pressing hard and paying special attention to the cut ends and any thin spots. The stick should look thickly armored with no cheese showing anywhere.
5. Arrange the double-breaded sticks in a single layer, not touching, on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Freeze uncovered for at least 2 hours, until rock solid all the way through. Overnight is better; once frozen firm they can be transferred to a zip-top bag and kept up to 1 month.
6. Make the marinara while the sticks freeze: heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium, add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and just barely golden. Add the crushed tomatoes and sugar, bring to a simmer, and cook uncovered over medium-low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Season with salt, stir in the basil off the heat, and keep warm.
7. Pour 2 inches of oil into a heavy Dutch oven or deep pot and heat over medium-high to 365°F on a thermometer. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan next to the stove. Do not skip the thermometer — below 350°F the crust absorbs oil before it sets, and above 375°F it browns before the cheese melts.
8. Fry the sticks straight from the freezer, 4 to 5 at a time, in a single uncrowded layer. Fry 60 to 90 seconds, turning once with a spider or slotted spoon, until deep golden brown. Pull them the moment they are colored — if you see a bubble of cheese starting to push out anywhere, get that stick out immediately.
9. Transfer to the wire rack and sprinkles lightly with salt while hot. Let the oil come back up to 365°F between batches, about 1 minute, and repeat with the remaining sticks.
10. Rest the sticks 1 to 2 minutes so the cheese sets just enough to stretch rather than run, then pile onto a platter with the warm marinara for dipping. Serve immediately — these are at their best within 5 minutes of frying.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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