BAKED MOZZARELLA BATS
Exclusive excerpt from STIRRING UP FUN WITH FOOD by Sarah Michelle Gellar
Lest young folks are mistaken, mozzarella doesn’t come only in the shape of sticks. In fact, when you buy the square block-shaped variety (as opposed to the rounded rectangle), the shapes you can cut it into are endless. A dredging in panko crumbs gives these night creatures their crunch. Bat-shaped cookie cutters can be found at culinary shops and baking supply stores.
MAKES 8 BATS
INGREDIENTS
1 (16-ounce) block mozzarella cheese, cut into 1⁄2-inch thick slabs
1 1⁄2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1⁄2 cups panko bread crumbs
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup marinara sauce, warmed, for serving
Using a bat-shaped cookie cutter, cut the mozzarella squares into bat shapes, reserving the cheese scraps for another use. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bread crumbs and sauté, stirring often, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and 2 tablespoons water. In a third shallow bowl, combine the toasted bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and pepper and toss to mix thoroughly. Coat each bat with flour, then dip in the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off, and finally coat with the bread crumb mixture; repeat the egg and the bread crumb coating so that each bat has two layers of breading. As you finish each bat, set them on the prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the bats until just heated through, 6 to 8 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes before serving with the marinara.
For more, check out Stirring up Fun with Food by Sarah Michelle Gellar. Published by Grand Central Life & Style. Copyright © 2017 Sarah Michelle Gellar and Gia Russo.
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