Deep Fried Caprese Salad

Do you know that old saying: "if you like something very much, deep fry it"? Is that an old saying, or did I just make it up? I don't know. 

Anyway, fresh mozzarella with tomatoes and basil is one of those combinations made in heaven. Now imagine  all that inside a crispy fried wonton wrapper. Did you imagine it? Biting into the crunchy warm dough, cheese all gooey,  tomatoes all steamy,  sweet and lemony aroma from the basil making you think it is Summer time...You must try it! 

The Brazilian equivalent to this is called pastel frito, the most beloved brazilian street food. Our pastel is made with a slightly thicker dough, it can filled with whatever you can think of, and it is served along with caldo de cana (juice that is extracted from freshly pressed sugar cane). 

There is no formal recipe today. Here is what you need:

Fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and wonton wrappers

Remove seeds and extra juices from the tomatoes. Dice them.

Dice the mozzarella, chop basil.

Lay the wrappers on a dry surface. Add tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, a tiny bit of salt and pepper.

Moisten all the edges of the wonton. Fold it into a triangle. Press the edges firmly while removing excess air pockets.

Fill 1/3 of a pot with canola oil and place it over medium heat. When the oil is hot* add a few wontons at a time and fry it until both sides are golden to golden brown.
*You know oil is ready for deep frying when you put a small piece of bread or wonton inside the pot, that piece sinks into the oil and immediately starts to bubble and then comes up to the surface.

With the help of a slotted spoon remove the fried wonton from the pot and place it on paper towels to drain excess oil.

Be careful when biting into the hot fried wonton. A lot of hot steam will come out at first. Wait a few seconds and go for it!