Description
Crisp, golden potato sticks with a stretchy mozzarella center, served with a cool garlic-lemon yogurt dip. No breading required.
Ingredients
For the sticks:
1½ lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tsp salt, for the boiling water
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup (4 oz) shredded low-moisture mozzarella
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
3–4 cups neutral oil, for frying
For the garlic yogurt sauce:
¾ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 small garlic clove, grated
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp salt
1–2 Tbsp water, to thin
Instructions
1. Cover the potatoes with cold water by 1 inch, add 1 tsp salt, and simmer 15 to 18 minutes, until fork-tender.
2. Drain and return the potatoes to the hot pot off the heat for 2 minutes, until the steam stops and the surfaces look chalky.
3. Mash or rice until smooth. Spread on a sheet pan and cool 10 minutes, to warm rather than hot.
4. Fold in the cornstarch, ¾ tsp salt, and pepper, then the mozzarella. Knead briefly until it holds a fingerprint without sticking.
5. Press the dough into a quart freezer bag about ½ inch thick, push out the air, and roll it flat. Freeze 45 minutes, until firm but not solid.
6. Peel away the bag and cut 20 sticks, roughly 3 inches long and ½ inch wide.
7. Whisk the yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and ¼ tsp salt, thinning with water 1 Tbsp at a time. Refrigerate. Do not use a food processor; it thins the dip.
8. Heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F. Fry 4 to 5 sticks at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, until deep gold and faintly blistered. Let the oil recover to 350°F between batches and drain on a wire rack.
9. Serve hot with the garlic yogurt sauce.
Notes
Wet potato is the main cause of collapsed sticks, so dry them thoroughly in the hot pot before mashing.
Hold the oil at 350°F. Below 325°F the sticks absorb oil; above 375°F the shell darkens before the cheese melts.
Refrigerate fried sticks in a shallow airtight container within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. The sauce keeps 4 to 5 days.
Freeze uncooked sticks apart on a tray, then bag, up to 2 months. Fry straight from frozen, adding 1 minute. Do not freeze the sauce; it separates.
Reheat in a 400°F oven or air fryer for 5 to 7 minutes. The microwave works but softens the shell.
Naturally wheat-free when the cornstarch is certified gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 sticks plus 3 tablespoons sauce
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 41g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 30mg