Gooey Garlic And Mozzarella Bites

Looking for some inspiration for a starter, snack or appetizer? Well why not try our incredible gooey garlic and mozzarella bites.

They're absolutely loaded with molten, stringy mozzarella cheese, flavoured with garlic and Italian herbs and encased in a crispy batter.

They really are a cheese lover's paradise... They pair deliciously with sweet chilli jam and salad greens for a perfect starter. We all love them and we hope you do too. So without further ado, let's get on with this mouth-watering recipe!

Happy Cooking!

The Chai Home 😋

INGREDIENTS

Serves 9

• 9x mini mozzarella balls (drained and patted dry)

• 1x cup of self raising flour - plus 1x heaped tbsp

• 1x cup of water - just under a cup

• 1x egg (beaten)

• 1x tbsp of corn flour

• pinch of salt

• pinch of pepper

• 1x heaped tsp of garlic powder

• 1x tbsp of mixed Italian herbs

• oil for frying (approx 1/2 cm in the base of a non stick frying pan)

METHOD

In a medium sized mixing bowl add the 1 cup of flour, cornflour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and mixed herbs and mix together with a fork until combined.

Now add the water and whisk together with a fork until smooth and fully combined.

Set up a battering work station.

Add the beaten egg to a small bowl - Heaped tbsp of flour to a bowl - Mozzarella balls to a bowl - Empty plate for the prepared mozzarella balls.

I do one ball of mozzarella at a time.

Coat the mozzarella ball in egg, then dip it into the batter until fully covered, then dip into the flour, back nto the egg and then a final dip into the batter.

Repeat until all the mozzarella balls have been thoroughly coated.

Add your oil to a large non stick frying pan and heat on high for approx 1 minute or until the oil sizzles when you add a drop of batter to it and it rises to the top.

We added all of the balls to one large frying pan, however you may have to do it in two batches if your pan is smaller.

Once they are in the pan they need to fry for exactly 3 minutes. While they are frying spoon the excess batter over the top of your mozzarella balls - Do not worry if the batter slides off and touches the neighbouring cheese bite - it creates extra batter bits!

( The extra batter melts in with the cheese when it cooks and is crunchy and amazing! )

After 3 minutes its time to flip and cook for a further 3 minutes on the other side. We found it easiest to use tongs. If the batter is connected to another ball, simply separate with the tong.

If the cheese starts to ooze out into the batter, don't panic, this is exactly what you want.

The cheese cooks into the batter as it melts and it is LUSH!

Once they have cooked for the 3 minutes, remove from the heat and then let them rest on a plate of kitchen roll and allow it to soak up any excess oil.

Serve and enjoy!