Mozzarella Sticks
I'm particularly fond of these tasty snacks because they're baked, not fried. Cheese is one of my family's favorite foods. Being of Italian descent, I cook often with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses.
I'm particularly fond of these tasty snacks because they're baked, not fried. Cheese is one of my family's favorite foods. Being of Italian descent, I cook often with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses.
- Carbohydrate 46.63464675 g
- Cholesterol 416.758425 mg
- Fat 34.300511 g
- Fiber 3.74348744043708 g
- Protein 38.999638 g
- Saturated Fat 15.050915725 g
- Serving Size 1 1 - (289g)
- Sodium 1353.83375 mg
- Sugar 42.8911593095629 g
- Trans Fat 11.2644087 g
- Calories 636 calories
Step-by-step
- Place flour in a shallow bowl.
- In another shallow bowl, beat eggs and water.
- In a third shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and pepper.
- Coat cheese sticks with flour, then dip in egg mixture and coat with bread crumb mixture.
- Repeat egg and bread crumb coatings.
- Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Place on an ungreased baking sheet; drizzle with butter.
- Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 6-8 minutes or until heated through.
- Allow to stand for 3-5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with marinara or spaghetti sauce for dipping.
Why do homemade cheese snacks often leak out their interiors before the crust browns? Failure to freeze or chill the coated dairy is usually the culprit. String cheese holds high moisture content, and applying a protective barrier requires deliberate sequencing. Flour clings to the dry surface, beaten eggs act as glue for the outer particulates, and bread crumbs absorb surface moisture.
Double-coating creates the structural integrity necessary for dry heat. Dredging the cheese in flour, dipping it into the egg and water wash, rolling it through seasoned bread crumbs, and repeating the egg and crumb sequence forms a thick shell. Skipping this second layer leaves microscopic gaps where expanding melted fat escapes during baking.
Chilling the prepared sticks for at least four hours solidifies the interior fats and hardens the outer coating before heat hits them. Place the chilled sticks on an ungreased baking sheet and drizzle melted butter across the top to promote browning in a 400-degree oven. Bake strictly for six to eight minutes; exceeding this window transforms the snack into a puddle.
Resting the baked cheese for three to five minutes allows the internal proteins to relax and set slightly. Should extras remain, store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator and reheat gently in a dry skillet to crisp the exterior without liquefying the center.
