“All About The Technique” Baked Mozzarella Sticks

Yes! You can serve fresh, oozing mozzarella sticks—whether for dinner or a Chanukah party—and they don’t have to be fried (soooo much easier with no pot to watch!). Even though the ingredients here are completely basic, it’s the technique that’s important to have successful results. It’s not difficult, but you do need to pay attention. In a nutshell: freeze twice, coat well, bake hot, and bake fast. I love this technique so much because it allows me to make the mozzarella sticks in advance and simply and easily pop them in the oven. Foolproof!

Yields 12 mozzarella sticks

Directions

1. As soon as you get home from the grocery store, put your cheese sticks in the freezer. You can choose to slice them in half now (through the plastic) and/or remove them from the plastic but you don’t have to.

2. DAY BEFORE (or a minimum of three hours before serving): Prepare two bowls. In one bowl, whisk the eggs very, very well until consistent throughout. Place the panko crumbs in the second bowl.

3. Remove cheese sticks from the freezer, remove from plastic, and slice in half. Place cheese sticks first in egg, coating very well, and letting excess egg drip off. Then coat in panko crumbs. Repeat, coating with a second layer of egg and panko. A good, even coating is necessary to ensure the mozzarella sticks don’t “leak.”

4. When all cheese sticks are coated, return to the freezer for at least three hours or overnight.

5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with Gefen Parchment Paper.

6. Once the oven is hot, remove mozzarella sticks from the freezer (do not remove them before you are ready to bake) and place on a baking sheet. Bake immediately for seven to eight minutes (time may vary depending how hot your oven really gets). Enjoy fresh.