Mozzarella sticks is one of my favorite “bar food” appetizers I like to snack on. I love that it is a “stick” that is crunchy on the outside and cheesy in the inside. I love dipping my cheesy stick in my marinara for another dimension of flavor.

Ingredients:

Mozzarella Sticks:

• 1/2 cup flour
• Ground Pepper to taste
• 1 cup of Italian bread crumbs
• 2 eggs beaten
• 16 oz block of mozzarella cheese
• Oil

Marinara Sauce:

• 1 cup jarred marinara sauce or my Marinara Sauce Recipe
• 1/2 a shallot diced (if not using My marinara sauce recipe)
• 1 garlic clove minced (if not using My marinara sauce recipe)
• 1/2 tsp italian seasoning (if not using My marinara sauce recipe)
• pinch of red chili flakes (if not using My marinara sauce recipe)
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut mozzarella cheese into 1/2″ thick pieces. Cut the 1/2″ pieces in half.
2. Add ground black pepper to the flour in a bowl (bowl #1).
3. Add bread crumbs in another bowl (bowl #2).
4. Beat eggs in another bowl (bowl #3).
5. Dust cheese with flour, dip in the egg mixture, allow excess egg to drip back into the bowl and repeat step.
6. After repeating step #5 above, coat cheese stick with the bread crumbs and set on a plate/pan.
7. Freeze cheese sticks for 2 hours or more.
8. Heat up olive oil and saute garlic and shallots until fragrant.
9. Add chili flakes.
10. Add marinara sauce and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
11. Bring to boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
12. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and fry cheese sticks until golden brown on all sides (about 1 min per side).

Enjoy!