Carrozza (sandwich) facts for kids
Have you ever heard of a carrozza? It's a yummy fried cheese sandwich from Italian cuisine! People also call it mozzarella in carrozza, which means "mozzarella in a carriage" in Italian. To make it, you take a mozzarella cheese sandwich, dip it in egg and flour, and then fry it until it's golden and crispy. This tasty snack is very popular in the Campania region of Southern Italy. You can also find it in some parts of New York City. There's even a version called mozzarella fritta, which is just fried mozzarella cheese without the bread.
Contents
How to Make a Carrozza
Making a carrozza starts with simple ingredients. You will need mozzarella cheese, slices of bread, and an egg wash. An egg wash is a mix of beaten eggs, sometimes with a little milk or water.
Choosing Your Bread
You can use different kinds of bread for carrozza. Italian bread is a popular choice. Regular sandwich bread also works well. Sometimes, people cut off the crusts before frying. You can even toast the bread lightly first for extra crunch.
The Cooking Steps
First, you make a sandwich with the mozzarella cheese. Next, you dip the sandwich into the egg wash. After that, you coat it in flour. Some people also use bread crumbs for a crispier outside. Then, you fry the sandwich. You can pan-fry it or deep-fry it. Olive oil is usually used for frying.
Extra Flavors
Sometimes, people add other ingredients to their carrozza. You might find ham, anchovies, or even vegetables like eggplant and green tomatoes. Basil can also be added for a fresh taste. Once cooked, a carrozza has a wonderful crisp or crunchy texture. It's often served as an antipasti, which is a starter dish before the main meal.
Where Carrozza is Popular
The carrozza is a famous street food in Campania. This is a beautiful region in southern Italy. In Campania, they often use Buffalo mozzarella. This special cheese is made from the milk of the Italian Mediterranean buffalo.
Carrozza in New York City
This delicious dish is also very popular in Italian-American restaurants. You can find it in many parts of New York City. This includes the boroughs of Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, Queens, and the Bronx. In New York, it is often cooked by deep frying.
Different Kinds of Fried Mozzarella
A fun variation of the carrozza is called mozzarella fritta. This means "fried mozzarella" in English. It's basically just battered and fried cheese. The main difference is that mozzarella fritta does not have any bread. It's just the delicious fried mozzarella itself!
See also
In Spanish: Mozzarella in carrozza para niños
