Fried Primosale

Fried Primosale is a simple and tasty appetizer, very popular in Italy, especially in Sicily, where Primosale cheese is typical. Primosale is a fresh, soft cheese that is slightly flavorful, excellent to enjoy in many different ways, including fried. Here is a simple recipe to make fried Primosale.

Ingredients

• 250 grams of Primosale cheese
• Flour as needed
• 2 eggs
• Breadcrumbs as needed
• Salt as needed
• Pepper as needed (optional)
• Oil for frying (seed or extra virgin olive oil, according to preference)

Preparation

1. Cut the Primosale cheese into slices about 1 cm thick.
2. Prepare three separate plates with flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt (and pepper if liked).
3. First, coat each slice of Primosale in the flour, to help the eggs adhere.
4. After the flour, dip the slices into the beaten eggs, making sure they are well-covered on all sides.
5. Lastly, coat the slices in breadcrumbs, taking care to form an even breading.
6. Heat the oil in a pan at medium-high temperature (about 170-180 °C). To test if the oil is ready, you can drop a small piece of bread in it: if it sizzles immediately, the oil is at the right temperature.
7. Fry the breaded cheese slices until golden brown on both sides. This will take about 1-2 minutes per side.
8. Once golden, remove the fried cheese from the oil and place it on paper towels to remove excess oil.
9. Serve hot, perhaps accompanied by lemon slices or a sauce of your choice, such as fresh tomato sauce or a spicy sauce.

Anecdote: Frying cheese is a technique used in various Italian regional kitchens. For example, in Lazio, the frying of caciocavallo is typical, while in Campania it is often done with mozzarella. The crunchiness of the external breading contrasting with the softness and flavor of the melted cheese inside makes these preparations irresistible for cheese lovers.