Sometimes you find that you have a small chunk of mozzarella cheese left in your fridge. You also have one egg white leftover from when you had to use the yolk for something else. AND you have some breadcrumbs on hand. You, my friend, can make exactly one fried mozzarella tidbit and you will be all the happier for doing so.

I improvised my hot cheese snack, but here is a bona fide recipe from The Talisman Italian Cookbook. I regret to inform you all that my breadcrumbs were not lovingly handmade from stale bread, but came from a can and included “Italian seasonings”. If you are using lovingly handmade bread crumbs, add some basil/oregano/garlic/salt/pepper/etc. for optimum seasoning. I used just a bit of oil in my tiniest saucepan, so it was hardly a mess at all for my tidbit.

Fried Mozzarella
from The Talisman Italian Cook Book by Ada Boni

3/4 lb mozzarella
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten with 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup olive oil

Cut mozzarella into 4-inch squares, 2 inches thick. Roll in flour, dip into egg, roll in bread crumbs, again into egg and again in bread crumbs. Fry in hot oil just long enough for the bread crumbs to turn golden in color. Serve immediately. Serves 4.