Fried Mozzarella Cheese

Cut the mozzarella into sticks a bit more than about ¼ inch thick and about 1½ inches long. Coat the sticks with flour, shaking off excess. Combine the bread crumbs and seasonings in a flat dish. Beat the eggs and place in a separate bowl.

The coating on the first stick should be fairly dry when you finish the last stick. Repeat with another dip in the egg and then in the bread crumbs.

Deep-fry the coated sticks in oil for about 3 to 4 minutes until the coating is cooked. Fry in batches, keeping the finished ones warm in the oven. Serve with chilled marinara sauce or salsa.

NOTES:

* Fried mozzarella sticks with marinara — Use your imagination when choosing spices. The spices listed here are just a suggestion.

* Be careful when frying, as some sticks split open when they are done, leaving lots of cheese in your frying oil. You may need more egg or bread crumbs, depending on how many sticks you have and how thick you coat them.

: Difficulty: moderate (frying skill required). : Time: 10 minutes preparation, 5 minutes cooking. : Precision: approximate measurement OK.

: Robin Harris Foster : AT&T Information Systems, Lincroft N.J. : mtuxo!rfoster

Your Fried Mozzarella Cheese is ready. Happy cooking!