Crispy Mozzarella with Kimchi Marinara

Something about fried cheese is simply irresistible. Whether you’re enjoying it in mozzarella sticks, chile relleno, or Italian arancini, it’s one of those dishes that keeps begging for one more bite. A plate of string cheese? I’ll pass. But you fry those up and serve them with a dipping sauce? Come to Papa.

One of the best parts of this dish is that it’s gluten-free with the right breadcrumbs! It also has lots of delicious aromatic components that set it apart from the rest of the basic mozzarella sticks (not that there is anything wrong with them).

Fresh mozzarella cheese is creamy, soft, and lightly salty cheese that hails from southern Italy. It’s traditionally made from buffalo milk and can change from white to an off-yellow depending on the animals' diet. Due to its high moisture content, it is traditionally served the day after it is made but can be kept in brine for up to a week or longer when sold in vacuum-sealed packages.

Mozzarella is used for a wide variety of dishes including pasta, empanadas, most types of pizza, and several pasta dishes or served with sliced tomatoes and basil in Caprese salad. Low-moisture shredded mozzarella, the one perfect for melting and pizza, can be kept refrigerated for much longer than

its fresh counterpart.

Luckily, there are dozens of artisan cheese makers across the United States with one of them being right in my backyard in Rhode Island, Narragansett Creamery. Narragansett Creamery started in 2007 when Mark and Pattie Federico decided to launch an artisan cheese brand after starting their own specialty product line. It’s an incredible story that has landed them on grocery shelves, farmers' markets, and restaurant menus across New England.

This family-owned and operated cheesemaker crafts all different styles

of cheese, including Burrata, feta, queso fresco, and grilling cheese as well as specialty

aged cheeses like Awells Gold (aged 10-12 months) and Divine Providence (aged 3-5 months). Plus a delicious and feathery fresh mozzarella that is perfect for the recipe!

All that needs to be done to prepare the cheese is to slice it into even rounds and then get ready for the breading process! Some fresh mozzarella comes presliced which works perfectly as well.

Set up your breading station by combining gluten-free breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, chopped chives, kosher salt, gochugaru chili flakes, and black pepper, and stir until evenly combined. In two separate bowls, place the cornstarch and the beaten eggs with a splash of water separately.

Dredge each mozzarella piece in the cornstarch, then into the egg bath, and finally, the seasoned breadcrumbs, making sure it's completely coated so it doesn't break while cooking. Repeat the egg and breadcrumbs steps to ensure a stable coating.

Before cooking off the crispy cheese– it’s time to consider the dipping sauce. Instead of a boring marinara, we thought it would be delicious to incorporate some fiery aromatics from traditional kimchi. We used flavorful and hand-crafted CHI Kitchen foods to pair with the acidic sweetness of the tomatoes to create an umami-packed marinara.

Cook minced shallot and garlic with extra virgin olive oil until fragrant before adding the tomatoes, kimchi, and all their juices. Cook gently, uncovered, until the sauce begins to reduce and thicken.

Remove the sauce from the heat and blend with an immersion blender until silky. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the marinara with a pinch of salt, black pepper, or more gochugaru chili flake. Add kimchi juice for another spicy kick and a splash of water if it’s too thick before setting it aside.

Now it’s time for the main event! Pour enough oil into a large skillet until it's about 2 inches deep. Use a chopstick to gauge if the temperature is ready– if the end of the chopstick bubbles, it’s ready to fry.

Carefully add the breaded cheese pieces to the hot oil, 4 pieces at a time, and fry until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes, flipping halfway through. When golden brown, drain on a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with some kosher salt. Continue frying until all pieces are cooked. You’ll be happy you went for the double breaking– exploding cheese is not a fun time!

Now we hope you’re ready to dig into some crunchy and addictive crispy mozzarella with your kimchi marinara. If you can find it. serve the crispy mozzarella with a sprinkling of torn Thai basil leaves. Enjoy immediately!

Crispy Mozzarella with Kimchi Marinara

Korean cuisine loves putting cheese and kimchi together. It feels natural to pair crispy gluten-free and double-breaded mozzarella medallions with a spicy and aromatic kimchi marinara. Almost like magic how quickly they disappear once they’re ready!

Recipe and Photography by Sam Burgess

Forge To Table Knives

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4-8 (2 cups marinara)

Ingredients:

Kimchi Marinara

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 each shallot, diced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ teaspoon gochugaru chili flakes (Korean red pepper flakes)

• 14-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes (or equal weight fresh tomatoes grated with skins discarded)

• 1 cup high-quality kimchi, chopped

• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1-2 tablespoons kimchi juice (optional)

Crispy Mozzarella

• 16 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced into 1/4-inch medallions

• 1-½ cups gluten-free panko bread crumbs (or normal in a pinch)

• ¼ cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more for finishing

• ½ teaspoon gochugaru chili flakes (Korean red pepper flakes)

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 cup cornstarch or potato starch

• 3 large eggs, beaten

• Vegetable oil, for frying

• 8–10 Thai basil leaves, torn

Directions:

1. MARINARA. In a saute pan, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add minced shallot and garlic and cook lightly until tender and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chili flakes and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, kimchi, and all their juices.

2. SIMMER. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, and cook gently for 15-20 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to reduce and thicken. Once most of the liquid is reduced, remove it from heat and blend with an immersion blender for a silkier consistency.

3. FINISH MARINARA. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the marinara with a pinch of salt, black pepper, or more gochugaru chili flake. Add kimchi juice for another spicy kick and a splash of water if it’s too thick. Set aside.

4. BREADCRUMBS. Use your 6” Utility Knife to slice fresh mozzarella into ¼-inch thick medallions if not already sliced (should have between 10-16 medallions). In a medium-sized bowl, combine gluten-free breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, chopped chives, kosher salt, gochugaru chili flakes, and black pepper, and stir until an even mixture.

5. SET UP. Finish setting up your dredging station by placing the cornstarch in a separate medium bowl and the eggs plus 2 tablespoons of water in another medium bowl.

6. DREDGING. Dredge each mozzarella piece in the cornstarch, then into the egg bath-shaking off excess, and then into the seasoned breadcrumbs, making sure it's completely coated so it doesn't break open. Repeat the egg and breadcrumbs steps for a double breading. Set the cheese pieces on a plate and continue until all are breaded.

7. OIL. Pour enough oil into a large skillet until it's about 2 inches deep. Heat to 350F degrees. Use a chopstick to gauge if the temperature is ready, if the end of the chopstick bubbles, it’s ready to fry.

8. FRYING. Carefully add the breaded cheese pieces to the hot oil, 4 pieces at a time, and fry until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes total, flipping halfway through. When golden brown, drain on a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with some kosher salt. Continue frying until all pieces are cooked.

9. SERVE. Serve the crispy mozzarella immediately with a side of kimchi marina and a sprinkling of torn Thai basil leaves. Enjoy!

Chef’s Notes:

• You can easily chop kimchi without putting it on your cutting board by using a pair of Forge To Table Shears to chop it right in the jar!