Soooo, I’m working on being healthier…..fried zucchini sticks should help me ease into things quite nicely. I certainly am proud to be including some green veggies into my diet! Yay, Me! And these are delicious, by the way, and would go great with any of your Italian meals or, of course, would be a terrific appetizer or snack. Easy and super yummy. Serve with your favorite warmed marinara sauce. Now, let’s get those veggies in! This recipe is from Mandy River’s cookbook, South Your Mouth Some More!
1 cup grated Asiago cheese, Parmesan cheese will work too
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for finishing
2-3 whole zucchini
2 T. cornstarch
2 eggs, well beaten
Vegetable oil
Combine grated cheese, bead crumbs, and salt in a shallow bowl; mix well. Set aside
Wash zucchini; dry well. Cut ends off zucchini; cut each in half or thirds, depending on how long it is (Mandy says, you want sections that are about 3 inches long). Cut each section lengthwise into 8 sticks.
Add zucchini and cornstarch to a zip-top bag; seal, then shake to coat. Place coated zucchini on a plate, shaking off excess cornstarch.
Dip each zucchini stick in beaten eggs; shake off excess. Dredge each in bread crumb mixture, taking care to thoroughly coat zucchini; shake off excess.
Add 1 inch of vegetable oil to a medium or large pot. (I used my large skillet.) Heat oil over medium heat until temperature reaches 325 degrees. Fry slowly, so zucchini has time to get tender without the cheese burning. Fry until golden brown.
Cook in batches so as not to overcrowd pan. Sprinkle with additional salt right when you remove zucchini sticks from hot oil. Serve with marinara sauce.
Makes 6-8 servings.
COOKING THE BOOKS, YA’LL!