Baked Cheese Sticks Recipe

This baked cheese sticks recipe is just delicious! Imagine biting into warm, melted cheese and dipping it into homemade marinara sauce. Yummy....

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dried breadcrumbs
1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
2 (16-ounce) blocks pasteurized mozzarella, cut into 4 by 1/2-inch sticks
4 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 (32 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves

(Serves 6)

Directions

Baked Cheese Sticks

In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and salt.

Put the slightly beaten egg in a separate bowl.

Working in an assembly line, dip the cheese stick into the egg, allowing the exceed to drip back into the bowl. Then dredge cheese into the bread crumb mixture, turning until well coated and pressing to adhere the crumbs, if necessary.

Place the breaded cheese sticks onto the prepared baking sheet and continue with the remaining pieces of cheese.

Once all the cheese sticks are breaded, repeat the dipping process again by re-dipping the cheese sticks in the egg and then back in the bread crumbs.

Lay the double coated cheese sticks on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and freeze for 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Meanwhile, make the marinara sauce.

When ready to cook the cheese sticks, heat the oil to 350ºF, in a large sturdy sauce pan set over medium-high heat.

When the oil is heated, carefully drop the breaded cheese sticks into the oil. Work in batches if necessary, being careful not to over crowd the saucepan.

Fry the cheese for 1 minute per side, until golden brown.

Transfer the fried cheese sticks to a wire rack and continue with the remaining cheese.

Once all the cheese is cooked, serve immediately with the Marinara Sauce for dipping.

Marinara Sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat.

Add the onions and sauté for 10 minutes, until transparent.

Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add the celery, carrots, salt and fresh ground pepper. Sauté for 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and bay leaves and allow the sauce to simmer, uncovered, for about 1 hour.

Once cooked, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve along side the cheese sticks for dipping.