After graduating college, I worked in an Italian restaurant to save up money for a trip to Europe. The restaurant was new, and they needed staff. I exaggerated my qualifications—because I didn’t have any—but I spoke some Italian to the chef/owner during our brief interview. So he hired me as a busboy. After a few weeks, he offered me a promotion: I could become a waiter, or work with him in the kitchen. Of course, I chose the kitchen. That’s where I learned to make this dish. I don’t recall if it was a regular menu item, or just one of those things that he would send out to the diners as a surprise from the chef. I recall the first time he asked me to beat the eggs—a simple enough task. When he inspected my work, he just shook his head and started beating them more. Lesson learned. At the end of the summer, I did in fact get to Europe. We were on a super-tight budget, and in Venice, Mozzarella in Carrozza was the equivalent of “fast food.” An order cost less than a buck. I’m not sure where the name comes from—it translates to “mozzarella in carriages.” It’s not supposed to be fancy. While I don’t remember specifically, I’d guess that we used “pizza cheese” at the restaurant instead of real mozzarella, which was probably difficult to source and probably too melty anyway. Also, since you’ll be cutting the crusts off the bread, you should look for the square white sandwich bread—don’t bother with anything high-end. It’s common to put an anchovy in with the cheese, but not mandatory.
What you need
Mozzarella (American style)
Sandwich bread (square)
Eggs
Grated cheese
Flour
Oil for frying
Parsley
Lemon
How you make it
- Cut the crusts off the bread to make neat squares.
- Beat the eggs (thoroughly!) with a bit of milk or water. Plan on one egg for two square sandwiches, more or less. Then, beat in the grated cheese. Again, it depends on how much you’re making—the mixture should be thick but not pasty. Add in some chopped parsley.
- Put a few tablespoons of flour on a plate and mix in a dash of salt and pepper.
- Thinly slice the mozzarella, arrange it on a square of bread, cover with another square, and press down with your palm. You can also press along the edges to keep it sealed. Cut them diagonally.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan. Press the triangles down into the flour, both sides, dip them in the egg mixture, and then place them in the hot oil. Fry until browned on both sides, and let cool on some paper towels or newspapers.
- Serve with some lemon wedges.
Now, imagine you’re a poor college grad in Venice, watching the beautiful gondolas that you can’t afford to ride in!
Buon appetito!
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