Crispy Provoleta Sticks with Chimichurri Mayo
Provolone cut into sticks, double-coated in oregano-paprika panko and fried until crisp outside and stretchy inside, with a punchy chimichurri mayo for dipping.
Method
Cut the provolone into sticks 1.5 cm thick and 7 cm long and pat the surface dry with kitchen paper.
Add in this stepProvolone, in one piece 200 g
Set out three bowls: the flour; the eggs, well beaten; and the panko mixed with half the oregano and the smoked paprika. Coat each stick in flour, then egg, then crumbs, then dip again in egg and crumbs, pressing so there are no gaps. The double coat stops the cheese leaking while it fries.
Add in this stepPlain flour 2 tbspEggs 1Panko breadcrumbs 50 gDried oregano ½ tspSmoked paprika ½ tsp
Lay the coated sticks on a tray and freeze for until firm. Skip this and the cheese will melt out before the crust is crisp.
Make the chimichurri mayo: mix the mayonnaise with the finely chopped parsley and garlic, the rest of the oregano, the vinegar and the chilli flakes.
Add in this stepMayonnaise 4 tbspFlat-leaf parsley 6 gGarlic cloves 1Dried oregano ½ tspRed wine vinegar 1 tspRed pepper flakes 1 pinch
Pour the oil into a heavy 18 cm pot, filling it no more than one third deep, and heat on medium-high heat for to 180 °C. Without a thermometer, a few crumbs dropped in should sizzle and float up at once. Keep water well away: it makes hot oil spit.
Add in this stepOil for deep-frying 600 ml
medium-high heatAdjust the heat to medium heat to hold it at 180 °C and fry the sticks 4 or 5 at a time, not touching, for until deep golden. Lift them out onto a rack the moment you see cheese peeking through the crumbs. Serve hot with the lemon wedges and chimichurri mayo.
Add in this stepLemon wedges ½
medium heat
Cook's tip
Frying is quick, so don't crowd the pot: if the oil cools, the crumbs soak up grease and the cheese escapes. Let the used oil cool completely, then strain and store it, or soak it up with paper to throw away.
Cooking it at camp
Deep-frying at a campsite is risky and not recommended. Instead, bring the coated sticks frozen in the cooler and shallow-fry them in a cast-iron pan with about 1 cm of oil over medium heat, rolling them to brown all over. Shield from wind and keep children well back.