Fried Celery with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 6 Celery stalks (Choose firm, crisp stalks)
• 0.5 cup Bread flour
• 0.25 teaspoon Salt
• 0.0625 teaspoon Black pepper (A few grains)
• 0.33 cup Milk
• 1 Egg
• 2 cups Vegetable oil (For deep frying)
• 1 batch Tomato Sauce Ingredients (See tomato sauce recipe below)
• 28 oz Canned crushed tomatoes (For the tomato sauce)
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil (For the tomato sauce)
• 2 cloves Garlic (Minced, for the tomato sauce)
• 0.5 Onion (Chopped, for the tomato sauce)
• 1 teaspoon Dried oregano (For the tomato sauce)
• 1 teaspoon Dried basil (For the tomato sauce)
• 1 teaspoon Sugar (For the tomato sauce)
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt (For the tomato sauce)
• 0.25 teaspoon Black pepper (For the tomato sauce)

Instructions

1. 1Wash and scrape the celery stalks. Cut them into three-inch pieces.
2. 2In a bowl, mix together the bread flour, salt, and pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk and egg. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
3. 3Heat the vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 350°F (175°C). Dip each celery piece in the batter, ensuring it is fully coated. Carefully place the battered celery into the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove the fried celery with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
4. 4Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Pour in the canned crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
5. 5Serve the fried celery hot with the tomato sauce for dipping.