Pick-up sticks
Share
- ✉
-
Author Notes: I just decided to experiment making mozzarella sticks, which has been a favorite food my son enjoys. So I wanted to make a healthier version at home. You can certainly vary the herbs, but I like the mint, flat leaf parsley and scallion combination. I recommend the second variation that evolved- made with avocado and served with an avocado, cucumber, yogurt, and lime dip. Sorry I did not get the order or list of the ingredients down when I was trying to edit. - Sagegreen
Serves 4-6
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella (not packed in liquid)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 6 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley, scallions, mint leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 grated rind of half a lemon
- olive oil for skillet
- 2 cups your favorite bruschetta (chopped tomatoes, parsley, onions, lemon juice, etc.l
- 1 dolup of Greek yogurt per serving
- sprigs flat leaf parsley and a chiffonade of basil for garnish
- or alternatively you can add 1/2 mashed avocado to the egg and yogurt mixture.
- ....and then serve this variation with equal parts Greek yogurt, mashed avocado, and chopped English cucumber seasoned with salt, pepper, nutmeg, lemon juice, and fresh chopped herbs.
- 1-2 Avocadoes mashed, 1/2 cup to be added to the egg/yogurt mixture, the remainder can go towards the yogurt, cucumber dip...sorry if these suggestions are out of order.
- or rind and juice of a lime to substitute for the lemon
- Slice mozzarella into rectangular stick shapes about one and a half inch long by half an inch wide or so.
- Beat the egg and then mix with the yogurt, lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg in one bowl. Add 1/2 mashed avocado and use lime instead of lemon for a wonderful variation.
- Mix the panko, 6 tbl. chopped mixed fresh herbs, lemon rind, (or lime rind if using the avocado route), 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, salt and ground pepper together in another bowl.
- Dip the mozzarella sticks first into the egg/yogurt (do try this with the suggested avocado) mixture to coat.
- Then roll the coated mozzarella sticks in the panko mixture.
- Heat a shallow depth of olive oil in a skillet (this can be more than a spray but less than 1/16 inch deep, say a healthy coating).
- Brown the breaded mozzarella sticks quickly and lightly on each side in the skillet and they are ready to serve.
- Serve with your favorite bruschetta (fresh seasoned, diced tomatoes, parsley, red onions, and lemon juice is a simple favorite of mine), a dolup of Greek yogurt, a sprig of flat leaf parsley and a chiffonade of basil for garnish. Or serve with the yogurt/cucumber/lime/avocado mix instead. I tried this version the day after I first submitted this (so please see the second photo).
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe Using Fresh Mozzarella
Tags: snack
More Great Recipes
Share a Recipe
Enter one of our contests, or share that great thing you made for dinner last night.
Add a Recipe
almost 3 years ago TheWimpyVegetarian
Looks delicious! Especially the avocado one with the avocado dip. You can click and drag the ingredients around on the list - which you've likely discovered now.
almost 3 years ago Sagegreen
Thank you so much. Yes, I eventually figured that out. I tried a variation on this with cumin and green chiles, which I really prefer (you can see my last entry). But today I am busy with some cherry concoctions.
almost 3 years ago Sagegreen
I tried the second version with a mozzarella that was packed in liquid, and then added avocado and lime to the mix. You need to coat these well with the yogurt/avocado mix so they will in turn retain more panko. You then have to work really quickly with the cooking to keep everything from oozing out with a base liquid-packed mozzarella, but I really do prefer the second version.