Pick-Up Sticks

• 1 pound fresh mozzarella (not packed in liquid)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 6 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley, scallions, mint leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 grated rind of half a lemon
• olive oil for skillet
• 2 cups your favorite bruschetta (chopped tomatoes, parsley, onions, lemon juice, etc.l
• 1 dolup of Greek yogurt per serving
• Sprig flat leaf parsley and a chiffonade of basil for garnish
• or alternatively you can add 1/2 mashed avocado to the egg and yogurt mixture.
• ....and then serve this variation with equal parts Greek yogurt, mashed avocado, and chopped English cucumber seasoned with salt, pepper, nutmeg, lemon juice, and fresh chopped herbs.
• 1-2 Avocadoes mashed, 1/2 cup to be added to the egg/yogurt mixture, the remainder can go towards the yogurt, cucumber dip...sorry if these suggestions are out of order.
• or rind and juice of a lime to substitute for the lemon

1. Slice mozzarella into rectangular stick shapes about one and a half inch long by half an inch wide or so.
2. Beat the egg and then mix with the yogurt, lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg in one bowl. Add 1/2 mashed avocado and use lime instead of lemon for a wonderful variation.
3. Mix the panko, 6 tbl. chopped mixed fresh herbs, lemon rind, (or lime rind if using the avocado route), 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, salt and ground pepper together in another bowl.
4. Dip the mozzarella sticks first into the egg/yogurt (do try this with the suggested avocado) mixture to coat.
5. Then roll the coated mozzarella sticks in the panko mixture.
6. Heat a shallow depth of olive oil in a skillet (this can be more than a spray but less than 1/16 inch deep, say a healthy coating).
7. Brown the breaded mozzarella sticks quickly and lightly on each side in the skillet and they are ready to serve.
8. Serve with your favorite bruschetta (fresh seasoned, diced tomatoes, parsley, red onions, and lemon juice is a simple favorite of mine), a dolup of Greek yogurt, a sprig of flat leaf parsley and a chiffonade of basil for garnish. Or serve with the yogurt/cucumber/lime/avocado mix instead. I tried this version the day after I first submitted this (so please see the second photo).

mozzarella, egg, greek yogurt, lemon juice, nutmeg, bread crumbs, flat leaf parsley, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, lemon, olive oil, your favorite bruschetta, serving, flat leaf parsley, avocado, variation, avocadoes, substitute

Taken from food52.com/recipes/5173-pick-up-sticks (may not work)