Desserts
Air fryer mozzarella sticks
The key to creating restaurant-style,Air fryer mozzarella sticks, breadcrumbed mozzarella sticks in the air fryer is to cook them from frozen: give them at least 30 minutes in the freezer. They’re delicious served with a spicy tomato ketchup.
Ingredients
- 400g block mozzarella cucina
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 large free-range egg
- 40g/1½oz panko breadcrumbs
- olive oil cooking spray
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
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Cut the mozzarella into strips, roughly 1.5cm/⅝in wide, and pat dry using kitchen paper.
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In a shallow dish, mix together the flour and the garlic granules. In another dish, beat the egg with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Spread the breadcrumbs in a third dish.
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Roll the mozzarella strips in flour, then in egg, then in flour and egg again, to create a double coating. Make sure each piece is totally covered in flour each time; any gaps will cause the mozzarella sticks to leak in the air fryer. Coat well in the panko breadcrumbs.
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Freeze for at least 30 minutes until solid.
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Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with olive oil spray and arrange a single layer of mozzarella sticks in the bottom. Spray the top of the mozzarella sticks with oil before air-frying for 10 minutes at 200C. Repeat until all the mozzarella sticks are cooked, keeping each batch warm, then serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
Mozzarella cucina is a firm, low-moisture cooking mozzarella sold in a block. Often labelled as ideal for pizza, it is shrink-wrapped rather than packed in whey.
This recipe was tested working in two batches in a 3.2 litre/5½ pint basket air fryer; in a larger air fryer the sticks can be cooked in one batch. It is not suited to a model fitted with a stirring paddle.
Air fryer mozzarella sticks