Mozzarella in Carrozza
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 crunch of the fried bread and rated it among the best toasted-cheese sandwiches they had tasted. They singled out the sweet, pungent tomato-and-aubergine sauce as a stroke of genius.
- Time: 65 min
Source: Relaxed Recipes
Ingredients
- FOR THE SANDWICH
- Aubergine , 1 medium — sliced and pan-fried
- White bread , 8 slices, crusts removed
- Fresh mozzarella , 125 g, sliced and patted very dry
- Scamorza , 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 flour, 60 g, for dredging
- Large eggs, 3, beaten with a pinch of salt
- Fine salt, 1/2 tsp
- Fine dried breadcrumbs, 150 g
- FOR DEEP-FRYING
- Neutral oil , about 1 litre, enough to submerge the sandwiches
- FOR THE SICILIAN TOMATO & AUBERGINE SAUCE
- Olive oil, 3 tbsp
- Aubergine , 1 medium, diced
- Garlic, 2 cloves, sliced
- Tinned plum tomatoes , 400 g, crushed by hand
- Red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp
- Sugar, 1 tsp
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil, small handful, torn
- Dried black olive powder , 1/2 tsp
- EQUIPMENT
- Deep, heavy saucepan or deep-fat fryer
- Digital cooking thermometer
- Three shallow bowls
- Frying pan
- Slotted spoon
- Wire rack
- Sharp knife and chopping board