Sheet-Pan Mozzarella in Carrozza
Chapter 2 — Antipasti & Starters
In Naples, mozzarella in carrozza was an act of survival—a clever way to fry up stale bread and souring cheese. But when immigrants hit the States, abundance turned survival into celebration. Peasant loaves became soft white bread; modest cheese became thick slabs of whole-milk mozzarella. Deep-frying these one by one while a houseful of hungry friends drinks your Chianti is a rookie mistake. This sheet-pan adaptation delivers the same shatteringly crisp exterior and epic cheese pull, letting you cook a dozen at once. Drop them on the table next to a simmering bowl of Sunday gravy and watch the crowd lose their minds.
Ingredients
- soft white sandwich bread12 slices
- whole-milk low-moisture mozzarella cheese1 lb
- whole milk1/2 cup
- all-purpose flour3/4 cup
- eggs4 large
- plain dry breadcrumbs2 cup
- Parmigiano-Reggiano3/4 cup
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- dried oregano1 tsp
- unsalted butter4 tbsp
- extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- Sunday gravy or marinara sauce2 cup
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven and prepare the sheet pan.
Preheat your oven to 400°F (convection preferred) and line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper. Whisk the melted butter and olive oil together, then generously brush half of this mixture directly onto the parchment to ensure a fried-like crust.
- 02
Architect the sandwiches.
Lay out six slices of bread and distribute the mozzarella evenly, leaving a strict 1/2-inch border so the cheese doesn't erupt during baking. Top with the remaining bread, trim the crusts completely off, and press the edges firmly to seal the cheese inside. Cut each square diagonally into twelve triangles.
- 03
Establish the breading station.
Line up four shallow dishes: one with the milk, one with the flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with the breadcrumbs mixed thoroughly with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, pepper, and oregano.
- 04
Execute the triple-dip technique.
Quickly tap each sandwich triangle into the milk to hydrate the seal, dredge it completely in the flour, submerge it into the beaten egg, and finally pack it tightly into the seasoned breadcrumbs.
- 05
Bake the carrozza.
Arrange the breaded triangles on the oiled sheet pan with an inch of space between them, drizzling the remaining butter-oil mixture over the tops. Bake for 10 minutes, carefully flip each piece with a thin spatula, and bake for another 7 to 10 minutes until deep golden-brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.
- 06
Serve immediately with Sunday gravy.
Let them rest for exactly two minutes so the molten cheese doesn't strip the skin from anyone's palate, then pile them high alongside a generous bowl of your four-hour simmering Sunday gravy for dipping.
Notes
Use the right bread and cheese.
Do not substitute rustic sourdough or fresh mozzarella. Supermarket white bread provides the necessary structural seal, and low-moisture block mozzarella melts perfectly without turning your sheet pan into a watery swamp.
From Cook Red Sauce at Home.