Fried mozzarella sticks, smoked tomato sauce

Mozzarella's clean flavour is just the thing for a golden crumb coating and smoky tomato dipping sauce. Don't worry, there's no smoking involved, just a clever mix of sauce ingredients.

Fried mozzarella sticks, smoked tomato sauce Credit: Adam Liaw

• serves

  2

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 litres canola oil, for deep frying
• 2 eggs
• 150 ml milk
• 150 g (1 cup) plain flour, seasoned
• 100 g (1⅔ cups) panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 75 g (⅔ cup) fine dry breadcrumbs
• 240 g firm mozzarella, cut into 6 sticks
• salt and white pepper, to taste
• small basil leaves, to garnish

Tomato sauce

• 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 200 g canned crushed tomato
• sea salt flakes and black pepper, to taste
• 100 ml Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Serves 2 as a snack

Instructions

1. For the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat to just under smoking point. Add the garlic and cook for 5 seconds or until golden, then add the tomato and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until reduced by one third. Add the barbecue sauce and vinegar and simmer until reduced by another third. Check the seasoning and correct if necessary.
2. Heat the oil for deep frying in a heavy-based saucepan or deep fryer to 165˚C.
3. Whisk the eggs and milk in a bowl. Place the flour in a separate bowl and combine the breadcrumbs in another. Add the cheese sticks to the egg mixture and turn to coat well. Remove, allowing the excess egg mixture to drain back into the bowl, then add to the flour and toss quickly to dust. Add back to the egg mixture, then toss in the breadcrumbs, using your hands to apply the crumbs evenly.
4. Once the oil has reached temperature, fry the cheese sticks for 2 – 2 ½ minutes or until golden and floating on the top. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Season well with salt and pepper.
5. To serve, arrange the fried mozzarella sticks on a plate and place the smoked tomato sauce in a dipping bowl. Scatter with the basil leaves and serve warm.

 

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.