String Cheese Egg Rolls Recipe For National String Cheese Day
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September 20th is National String Cheese Day. Have some fun with this String Cheese Sushi recipe, an the String Cheese Egg Rolls recipe below. Unlike breaded mozzarella or string cheese sticks, in this recipe the melted cheese is surrounded by crunchy egg roll wrappers (plus, they’re baked, not fried). Food trivia: Pasta† filata (“pulled curd”) cheeses like mozzarella, provolone, and string cheese are named for the unique process of pulling the curds while they are dipped in hot water. The result is a paste that can be pulled apart in strips. Here’s more about the different types of Italian cheeses. > Here’s a longer discussion of the predecessors of string cheese. > The different types of cheese: a glossary. > String cheese sushi recipe. Prep time is 10 minutes and cook time is 12 minutes. The number of pieces, 20, is arbitrary: Make as many or few as you need. Just buy an equal number of string cheese sticks and egg roll wrappers. If you like things spicy, you can sprinkle the wrappers with cayenne or red chile flakes instead of garlic powder. You can also play with adding additional ingredients. We have both wrapped the cheese stick with a slice of prosciutto, and added chopped onions. We really loved the prosciutto, but next time will add a piece of lightly cooked bacon. 1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Lightly brush a baking sheet with olive oil. 2. LAY the egg roll wrappers flat on the counter and lightly brush the entire wrapper with water. Lightly sprinkle the wrappers with garlic powder. Do not over-season. 3. PLACE each stick of string cheese diagonally across the wrappers. Fold both corners of the wrapper over the cheese. You will have a top “flap” (like an envelope). 4. FOLD the rest of the wrapper over the cheese stick, tucking in slightly underneath cheese in order to roll firmly. 5. TIGHTLY ROLL the rest of the wrapper over the cheese stick. If you don’t fold them tightly, the cheese will leak out. You can add a dab of water to the edges to seal the wrapper. 6. LIGHTLY BRUSH the tops of the egg rolls with olive oil, which will make the egg rolls more crispy. 7. TRANSFER the egg rolls to the baking sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes. Check them at 7 minutes for cheese leakage. If some have leaked, remove them from the oven. They will still be delicious, but you don’t want the leaked cheese to come into contact with any of the other pieces. 8. REMOVE from the oven and let cool until they are comfortable to handle and eat. Serve plain or with your dip of choice. TIP: If you want the egg rolls to be as crisp as possible, you can broil them for the last 2 minutes of cooking, monitoring them carefully until they are golden brown, but not overly browned. You may enjoy these crunchy sticks with melted cheese as is. Or, you may like a dipping sauce. Here are some options: |
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THE HISTORY OF STRING CHEESE However, string cheese was actually invented in Wisconsin. It is believed that around 1976, Frank Baker of Baker Cheese (photo #7), a Wisconsin cheese maker, came up with the idea of snack-size pieces of mozzarella. Frank was an innovator by nature, says his grandson Brian who now runs the company [source]. Normally, mozzarella is molded into a shape from a continuous flow of cheese that is shaped into a block. Frank thought to take the continuous flow of mozzarella and chopped them into strips. Frank cut off strips, hand-stretched them, rolled them, and cut them into ropes. By soaking them in salt brine, the cheese took on “stringing” characteristics. And thus a popular cheese snack was born. *Blend regular ketchup, mayonnaise or yogurt with cayenne, chipotle, or red chili flakes to taste. You can also mince fresh hot chiles. †Pasta is the Italian word for paste. As such, it refers to noodles, which are made from a paste of flour and water, and other food products that are made from a paste.
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