Mollie Katzen's Breaded Sautéed Goat Cheese Patties

Note from Cheri: The recipe and text below was reprinted with permission from Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Café -- Over 350 Easy Recipes for Irrisitible Muffins, Glorious Omelets, Tasty Pancakes, Hommade Protein Bars, and Other Delights to Launch and Sustain Your Every Day (2002, Hyperion). Click here for interview with Mollie Katzen, one of the best selling cookbook authors of all time, as well as more book reviews and lots more recipes!

Crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, these patties are a luxurious treat. Eat them plain or accompanied by little toasts and some vegetables and olives. They also fit perfectly on an English muffin or tucked inside a cooked portobello mushroom.

Recipe Notes:
You can make these ahead of time and store them in an airtight wrapper or container in the refrigerator for up to a week. They reheat very quickly (about 20 seconds on High) in a microwave. You can also keep the patties warm in a 300°F oven just after cooking them.

1 cup soft goat cheese 1/4 cup fine bread crumbs freshly ground black pepper 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil Optional Extras: English muffins or little toasts olives thinly sliced radishes thinly sliced cucumber tiny cherry tomatoes

YIELD: About 4 servings (2 patties each); easily multiplied PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes 1. Place about 2 tablespoons of the cheese on a piece of plastic wrap. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap, and gently pat and "massage" the cheese into a patty 2 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch thick. (You can also skip the plastic wrap, and just use your hands. Dampen them first, so the cheese won't stick.) Repeat with the rest of the cheese. You should have 8 patties. 2. Place the bread crumbs on a plate, grind in some fresh black pepper, and stir to mix. Press the cheese patties into the crumbs until coated on both sides and around the edges. 3. Place a heavy, nonstick skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, wait about 30 seconds, then swirl to coat the pan. When the skillet is very hot, add the coated cheese patties and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown, adding more oil if necessary. When they are done to your liking, transfer the sautéed patties to a plate lined with a double thickness of paper towels. 4. Serve hot or very warm, sprinkled with more freshly ground black pepper, along with your choice of accompaniments.