Pesto Risotto Mozzarella Sticks with Sun-Dried Tomato Ranch
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Recipe Intro From rafi_fronzaglia
These Pesto Risotto Mozzarella Sticks are served with a creamy, flavorful Sun-Dried Tomato Ranch sauce.
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Recipe Card
ingredients
Risotto
- 1 onion, diced
- Olive oil, for sauteing
- 1/3 cup arborio rice, cooked
- Splash of white wine
- 3-4 cups chicken stock
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano
- Salt, to taste
- 8 ounces fresh grated low moisture part skim mozzarella
ingredients
Pesto
- Large handful of basil
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated
- 2 cloves garlic
- Olive oil, for consistency
ingredients
Sauce
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped dill
- 1/4 cup chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
ingredients
To assemble
- Bread
- 1 egg, beaten
- Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- Oil, for frying
Method
Make the Risotto
Step 1
Begin by sautéing diced onion with olive oil until translucent.
Step 2
Add 1/3 ish cup Arborio rice, and stir constantly until rice is toasted.
Step 3
Deglaze with dry white wine.
Step 4
One at a time, ladle in warm chicken stock. Adding a new ladle once the rice has absorbed most of the previous ladle. This takes about 20 minutes, stir regularly.
Step 5
Once cooked, turn down the heat and add butter and a bunch of parmigiano reggiano. Taste and adjust salt levels by adding more parmesan.
Make the Pesto
Step 1
In a food processor, add the basil, toasted pine nuts, parmigiano reggiano, and garlic. Blend until smooth while streaming in olive oil until desired consistency is reached.
Assemble the Mozzarella Sticks
Step 1
Add pesto to the risotto a bit at a time. Taste, then add more to your liking.
Step 2
Spread risotto on parchment lined baking sheet and place in fridge or freezer for at least 1 hour, until cooled completely. Prep your sauce (instructions below) while the mixture freezes.
Step 3
Once cooled, add the mozzarella to risotto.
Step 4
Form as many mozzarella sticks as possible. You may want to add them to freezer to solidify while you perform the next steps.
Step 5
Create a 3-part breading station. One with flour, one with egg, and one with Italian seasoned bread crumbs.
Step 6
Coat each stick in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs and set aside on tray.
Step 7
Deep fry until golden brown at 325 deg F.
Make the sauce
Step 1
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add more buttermilk, if necessary, to thin out the mixture.