Mozzarella in Carrozza

Mozzarella in Carrozza

If southern Italy is known for nothing else, this grilled cheese sandwich is universally acknowledged to be its most important culinary creation. Taste it once and you will become addicted to it for the remainder of your life. While there are many known ways to prepare it, the instructions that follow are fairly basic and traditional:

Two sandwiches:

Make a paste of two anchovy fillets, adding to it a dusting of oregano, pepper (or chili powder) and a bit of olive oil. Spread it on one side of each of the four slices of bread. If your grocer is well stocked, you can find tubes of prepared anchovy paste. Do not over-paste the slice.

Lay parallel cuttings of mozzarella (about 1/8 inch thick) on two of rhe slices of bread. Close both sandwiches.

Whisk one egg and about 2 ounces of milk in a bowl. Pour the batter into a shallow soup dish and gently lay each sandwich into the mixture. After about a minute, turn the sandwich to soak both sides.

Place both sandwiches on a "non stick" pancake griddle that has been brought to medium heat. Flip them after a minute or two. When they are golden brown, as in the photo above, they are done.

Be prepared to savor them while they are hot. You will need a knife and fork to keep yourself from becoming inextricably entwined in the milky white strands of the melted mozzarella.

Buon appetito! And happy visions of the Golfo di Salerno!

Hi Dom ~ You had me salivating, looking at that Mozzarella in Carrozza picture and recipe - that's my favorite. Another option is to leave out the anchovies and make a sauce with olive oil, anchovies and capers and then drizzle it over the sandwich. That's good too ~ Chrissy

Dad ~ Loved your blog on the two recipes. I totally forgot about the Mozzarella Grilled Cheese that Mom used to make. I made it when the kids were little, but I haven't done so lately. Great suggestion on those late nights when you don't know what to make for dinner ~ Loretta