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1
Heat 2 inches olive oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat.
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2
Cut each pound of mozzarella and smoked mozzarella into 16 cubes.
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3
Set up a breading station: flour, 2 eggs beaten with 1/3 cup milk, Italian bread crumbs mixed with a couple of handfuls of grated cheese.
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4
Reserve the chopped parsley.
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5
Roll fresh plain mozzarella in flour, dip in egg, then coat in bread crumbs.
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6
Bread all the plain mozzarella, then add chopped parsley to the bread crumbs.
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7
Coat the cubed smoked mozzarella in flour, egg, then Italian bread crumbs mixed with parsley.
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8
The chopped parsley will allow you to distinguish between the fresh and fresh smoked cheese once fried.
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9
Place herbs into hot oil and fry 30 to 45 seconds.
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10
Be careful not to stand over pan, the oil will spatter a little because of the water content in herbs.
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11
Remove herbs with a slotted kitchen tool and transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
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12
Season immediately with fine salt.
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13
Fry the mozzarella bites in batches in a single layer.
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14
Cook until evenly deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
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15
Drain and cool mozzarella bites on a paper towel-lined surface.
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16
Let stand and cool a few minutes so that the cheese will not be too runny when bitten into.
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17
For dipping sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat.
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18
Add extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and crushed pepper flakes.
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19
Saute garlic and hot pepper 2 or 3 minutes, and add tomatoes.
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20
Season with salt.
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21
To assemble your serving plate, pile mozzarella bites, alternating them with fried herbs.
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22
Set the dipping sauce in a bowl along side the balls and pile bamboo skewers or party picks on the edge of the plate to spear and dip the bites.
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23
Add some mixed olives, celery sticks, long bread sticks to round out this finger food selection.
