Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Mozzarella in Carrozza
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
45 minutes
20 minutes
1 hour 5 minutes
Serves:
4 servings (as a starter)
Ferdinando created this dish for MasterChef UK ™ Season 22. His Nonna Margarita's Neapolitan fried sandwich layers fresh mozzarella, smoked scamorza, ham, potato, and fried aubergine inside a crisp golden crumb, then crowns it with a rich Sicilian tomato and aubergine sauce. The judges loved the cru...
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Ingredients
FOR THE SANDWICH:
Aubergine (eggplant), 1 medium — sliced and pan-fried
White bread (good quality), 8 slices, crusts removed
Fresh mozzarella (fior di latte), 125 g, sliced and patted very dry
Scamorza (smoked mozzarella), 100 g, sliced
Smoked cooked ham, 80 g, thinly sliced
Waxy potato, 150 g, thinly sliced and par-boiled until just tender
FOR THE COATING:
Plain (all-purpose) flour, 60 g, for dredging
Large eggs, 3, beaten with a pinch of salt
Fine salt, 1/2 tsp
Fine dried breadcrumbs, 150 g (or panko for extra crunch)
FOR DEEP-FRYING:
Neutral oil (sunflower or vegetable), about 1 litre, enough to submerge the sandwiches
FOR THE SICILIAN TOMATO & AUBERGINE SAUCE:
Olive oil, 3 tbsp (45 ml)
Aubergine (eggplant), 1 medium, diced
Garlic, 2 cloves, sliced
Tinned plum tomatoes (San Marzano), 400 g, crushed by hand
Red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp (15 ml)
Sugar, 1 tsp
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Fresh basil, small handful, torn
Dried black olive powder (optional), 1/2 tsp
EQUIPMENT:
Deep, heavy saucepan or deep-fat fryer
Digital cooking thermometer (for the oil)
Three shallow bowls (for the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs)
Frying pan (for the aubergine and sauce)
Slotted spoon
Wire rack (for draining)
Sharp knife and chopping board
Method
STEP 1: FRY THE AUBERGINE
Slice one aubergine into rounds about 1 cm thick, salt lightly, and leave for 10 minutes; pat dry. Fry in a little olive oil over medium-high heat until golden and tender on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper. Dice the second aubergine and reserve it for the sauce.
STEP 2: BUILD THE SANDWICHES
Lay out the crustless bread. On four slices, layer in order: fresh mozzarella, scamorza, a slice of smoked ham, a thin layer of par-boiled potato, then a slice or two of fried aubergine, keeping the filling set back slightly from the edges. Top with the remaining bread and press the edges down firmly all the way round so no cheese can escape. A clean seal keeps the molten cheese in and the oil out.
STEP 3: SET UP THE COATING
Put the flour, the beaten salted eggs, and the breadcrumbs into three separate shallow bowls. Dredge each sealed sandwich in flour and shake off the excess, then turn it fully in egg — including the pressed edges — and press it into the breadcrumbs for a complete, even coat. For the most reliable seal, repeat the egg and breadcrumb step a second time on the edges.
STEP 4: MAKE THE SICILIAN TOMATO & AUBERGINE SAUCE
Warm the olive oil in a pan and fry the diced aubergine until soft and lightly coloured. Add the sliced garlic for a minute, then the hand-crushed tomatoes. Simmer gently for 12–15 minutes until thick. Stir in the red wine vinegar and sugar and season with salt and pepper for a sweet, pungent, well-balanced sauce. Finish with torn basil off the heat.
STEP 5: HEAT THE OIL AND FRY
Heat the frying oil to 180°C / 350°F, using a thermometer. Lower the sandwiches in carefully and fry for 3–4 minutes, turning, until deep golden and crisp all over and the cheese is molten within. Fry in batches so the oil temperature does not drop. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack rather than flat on paper, which would soften the crust.
STEP 6: PLATE AND SERVE
Halve each sandwich to show the molten layers. Spoon the warm Sicilian sauce generously over and around. If using, dust with a little dried black olive powder. Serve at once, while the cheese still pulls.
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Instructions
FOR THE SANDWICH:
Aubergine (eggplant), 1 medium — sliced and pan-fried
White bread (good quality), 8 slices, crusts removed
Fresh mozzarella (fior di latte), 125 g, sliced and patted very dry
Scamorza (smoked mozzarella), 100 g, sliced
Smoked cooked ham, 80 g, thinly sliced
Waxy potato, 150 g, thinly sliced and par-boiled until just tender
FOR THE COATING:
Plain (all-purpose) flour, 60 g, for dredging
Large eggs, 3, beaten with a pinch of salt
Fine salt, 1/2 tsp
Fine dried breadcrumbs, 150 g (or panko for extra crunch)
FOR DEEP-FRYING:
Neutral oil (sunflower or vegetable), about 1 litre, enough to submerge the sandwiches
FOR THE SICILIAN TOMATO & AUBERGINE SAUCE:
Olive oil, 3 tbsp (45 ml)
Aubergine (eggplant), 1 medium, diced
Garlic, 2 cloves, sliced
Tinned plum tomatoes (San Marzano), 400 g, crushed by hand
Red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp (15 ml)
Sugar, 1 tsp
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Fresh basil, small handful, torn
Dried black olive powder (optional), 1/2 tsp
EQUIPMENT:
Deep, heavy saucepan or deep-fat fryer
Digital cooking thermometer (for the oil)
Three shallow bowls (for the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs)
Frying pan (for the aubergine and sauce)
Slotted spoon
Wire rack (for draining)
Sharp knife and chopping board
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: FRY THE AUBERGINE
Slice one aubergine into rounds about 1 cm thick, salt lightly, and leave for 10 minutes; pat dry. Fry in a little olive oil over medium-high heat until golden and tender on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper. Dice the second aubergine and reserve it for the sauce.
STEP 2: BUILD THE SANDWICHES
Lay out the crustless bread. On four slices, layer in order: fresh mozzarella, scamorza, a slice of smoked ham, a thin layer of par-boiled potato, then a slice or two of fried aubergine, keeping the filling set back slightly from the edges. Top with the remaining bread and press the edges down firmly all the way round so no cheese can escape. A clean seal keeps the molten cheese in and the oil out.
STEP 3: SET UP THE COATING
Put the flour, the beaten salted eggs, and the breadcrumbs into three separate shallow bowls. Dredge each sealed sandwich in flour and shake off the excess, then turn it fully in egg — including the pressed edges — and press it into the breadcrumbs for a complete, even coat. For the most reliable seal, repeat the egg and breadcrumb step a second time on the edges.
STEP 4: MAKE THE SICILIAN TOMATO & AUBERGINE SAUCE
Warm the olive oil in a pan and fry the diced aubergine until soft and lightly coloured. Add the sliced garlic for a minute, then the hand-crushed tomatoes. Simmer gently for 12–15 minutes until thick. Stir in the red wine vinegar and sugar and season with salt and pepper for a sweet, pungent, well-balanced sauce. Finish with torn basil off the heat.
STEP 5: HEAT THE OIL AND FRY
Heat the frying oil to 180°C / 350°F, using a thermometer. Lower the sandwiches in carefully and fry for 3–4 minutes, turning, until deep golden and crisp all over and the cheese is molten within. Fry in batches so the oil temperature does not drop. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack rather than flat on paper, which would soften the crust.
STEP 6: PLATE AND SERVE
Halve each sandwich to show the molten layers. Spoon the warm Sicilian sauce generously over and around. If using, dust with a little dried black olive powder. Serve at once, while the cheese still pulls.
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