Lorenzo Espada’s Nashville Hot Mozzarella Sticks 🔥🤤

Cheese pulls FOR DAYS 🔥🤤 @eatwitzo Nashville Hot mozzarella sticks are officially #FNHotList certified!

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Nashville Hot Mozzarella Sticks

Ingredients

Homemade Ranch Dressing:
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 to 1 cup buttermilk (depending on your preference for thickness)

Mozzarella Sticks:
One 1-pound block low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 to 5 large eggs, whisked
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Oil for frying

Nashville Hot Sauce:
1 tablespoon cayenne, or to taste
1 tablespoon paprika, or to taste
1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
Sliced chives for garnish, optional

Directions
Special equipment: a deep-fry thermometer
For the homemade ranch dressing: Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic paste, dill, parsley, onion powder, black pepper and salt. Drizzle in the buttermilk while whisking until you reach your desired consistency. Refrigerate until serving.
For the mozzarella sticks: Slice the block of mozzarella into eight 1/2-inch-thick slabs.
Place the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs each in separate shallow bowls. One at a time, coat the mozzarella sticks in flour, then dip in the egg, letting any excess egg drip off. Roll the sticks in breadcrumbs and place on a plate or dip a second time in the egg and then the panko if there are any bare spots. Freeze for 20 to 30 minutes so they get a chance to firm up.
When ready to fry, preheat your preferred frying oil in a medium Dutch oven filled halfway with oil to 375 degrees F.
Working in batches, place the mozzarella sticks into the oil (be sure not to crowd the pan) and allow to fry until crisp and golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack to drain the excess oil off.
For the Nashville hot sauce: Remove 1/2 cup of the oil the mozzarella sticks fried in and place it in a small heatproof bowl. Stir in the cayenne, paprika and chili powder and mix thoroughly. Baste the oil onto the mozzarella sticks, sprinkle with chives if using and enjoy with the ranch dressing!

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