Mozzarella Bites Recipes

Steps:

• Heat 2 inches olive oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat. Cut each pound of mozzarella and smoked mozzarella into 16 cubes. Set up a breading station: flour, 2 eggs beaten with 1/3 cup milk, Italian bread crumbs mixed with a couple of handfuls of grated cheese. Reserve the chopped parsley. Roll fresh plain mozzarella in flour, dip in egg, then coat in bread crumbs. Bread all the plain mozzarella, then add chopped parsley to the bread crumbs. Coat the cubed smoked mozzarella in flour, egg, then Italian bread crumbs mixed with parsley. The chopped parsley will allow you to distinguish between the fresh and fresh smoked cheese once fried. Place herbs into hot oil and fry 30 to 45 seconds. Be careful not to stand over pan, the oil will spatter a little because of the water content in herbs. Remove herbs with a slotted kitchen tool and transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Season immediately with fine salt. Fry the mozzarella bites in batches in a single layer. Cook until evenly deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and cool mozzarella bites on a paper towel-lined surface. Let stand and cool a few minutes so that the cheese will not be too runny when bitten into.
• For dipping sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and crushed pepper flakes. Saute garlic and hot pepper 2 or 3 minutes, and add tomatoes. Season with salt.
• To assemble your serving plate, pile mozzarella bites, alternating them with fried herbs. Set the dipping sauce in a bowl along side the balls and pile bamboo skewers or party picks on the edge of the plate to spear and dip the bites.
• Add some mixed olives, celery sticks, long bread sticks to round out this finger food selection.

Steps:

• Cut the mozzarella into 'chips'. Tip the flour into a bowl and season well. Whisk the eggs in a second bowl and tip the breadcrumbs, paprika and oregano into a third. Coat the mozzarella sticks in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a parchment-lined tray and freeze for at least 2 hrs.
• Heat enough oil to come 2-3cm up the side of a saucepan. When hot, drop in a test chip - it should sizzle straight away and brown within a minute or two. The secret is to cook them long enough to crisp up the outside without letting the mozzarella ooze out - it may take you a few practice chips to get it right. Cook the chips in batches and drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot with your favourite dip.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, basil and pepper. Add cheese; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Steps:

• Using a toothpick, spear a half of a tomato, a leaf of basil, a mozzarella ball, and another half of a tomato. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Place on a serving dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix the vinegar and oil together in a small bowl to serve as a dipping sauce.

Steps:

• Whisk vinegar in a small bowl with oil, pepper and salt.
• Cut cheese in twenty-four 1/2 inch cubes. To assemble, slide a tomato onto a skewer, followed by a basil leaf, folded in half, and a cheese cube.
• Repeat with remaining skewers.
• Arrange on a serving platter and brush or sprinkle with vinaigrette.
• Cover and let sit at room temperature up to 2 hours before serving.

Steps:

• For the mozzarella bites: Cut the mozzarella sticks into fourths, creating bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
• Add the flour to a shallow dish. Combine the eggs and milk in a second shallow dish. Combine the panko, Parmesan and parsley in a third shallow dish.
• Bread the mozzarella by first rolling each piece in the flour, then dunking it in the egg/milk mixture, then placing it in the panko mixture. Use your hands to ensure the entire piece is coated in the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a sheet pan and repeat with the remaining mozzarella pieces. Transfer to the freezer to firm up, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add two inches of oil to a skillet. Heat to 375 degrees F.
• For the buffalo sauce: Combine the hot sauce, butter, Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat until the butter has melted and the sauce is hot, then remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
• Fry the mozzarella bites in batches until golden, between 45 seconds to 1 minute, being careful not to overcook. Carefully remove to drain on a paper towel and immediately sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Serve hot alongside a bowl of warm buffalo sauce, a bowl of ranch dressing and the carrot and celery sticks.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Process spinach, Parmesan cheese, 2 Tbsp. nuts and garlic in food processor or blender until blended.
• Add oil in steady stream to spinach mixture through pour spout of food processor container, processing continuously until mixture is well blended. Spoon into 2- to 3-cup baking dish; stir in mozzarella cheese and remaining nuts.
• Bake 15 min., stirring after 8 min. Serve on crackers.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup panko to pan, and cook for 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and place the panko in a shallow dish.
• Cut mozzarella sticks into 1-inch pieces. Working with one piece at a time, dip cheese in egg substitute; dredge in panko. Place cheese on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
• Bake at 425° for 3 minutes or until the cheese is softened and thoroughly heated.
• Pour the marinara sauce into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring after 30 seconds(or heat briefly in a small saucepan). Serve with mozzarella pieces.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Cut cheese crosswise into 15 slices, then cut each slice in half.
• Top 30 crackers with cheese; cover with remaining crackers. Place on rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake 8 min. or until cheese begins to melt. Meanwhile, heat pasta sauce. Serve cracker sandwiches as dippers with sauce.