Mozzarella in Carrozza are the grilled cheese sandwiches from which dreams are made of. A simple handful of ingredients takes a classic cheese sandwich and turns it from ho-hum to a heavenly, sinister, and satisfying combination of creamy, crunchy textures. After this sandwich, you won’t go back. 

Origins of Mozzarella in Carrozza

When the sandwich dates back to is not so clear, but it’s known most famously in Naples and has humble origins. Being a part of the Italian cucina di povera, or poverty cuisine, this sandwich was made with a waste not want not mentality. Stale bread and leftover mozzarella scraps were given a second chance and utilized to create a filling but frugal small meal or light snack. Frying the sandwiches masks the staleness of the bread and transforms scrap ends of cheese into a gooey, crispy, and cheesy delight. 

Carrozza translates to carriage, and some speculate that the original sandwiches were cut into circles instead of a classic four-sided sandwich. 

While Naples is the most famous place to find Mozzarella in Carrozza, there are variations of this sandwich in Rome and Venice. Naples’ version uses buffalo mozzarella, while the Roman and Venetian versions use fior di latte (fresh cow’s milk cheese). These two regions also coat the sandwiches with breadcrumbs and stuff the sandwiches with slices of ham or even anchovies.

Here, this version borrows a bit of breadcrumbs from the Roman and Venetian versions, creating an ultra crispy outer crust.

What’s in a Mozzarella in Carrozza?

Mozzarella cheese — The right cheese should be fresh but not wet. 
Bread — Use traditional sliced white bread. You can use fancier varieties of bread, but make sure you cut off the crust.
Mayonnaise — While not original, it’s a great side character to add to this cheese sandwich. Not only does it act as a glue to keep the cheese inside the bread, but it also amplifies the gooey melt quality of the cheese, creating a great cheese pull. 
Eggs — They help bind the coating to the bread.
Milk — Works alongside the eggs to create a coating that sticks.
Flour — A standard all-purpose flour is best.
Breadcrumbs — Here, panko breadcrumbs are used to give these sandwiches an ultra-crispy outer coating. You can omit the breadcrumbs for a classic Neapolitan version. 

Prep the bread and cheese. Coat the sandwiches in the egg-milk wash. Dredge the sandwiches in the flour (or flour plus panko) mixture.

Fry for two minutes on each side. 

Cut into these Mozzarella in Carrozza sandwiches, and you’ll be wishing you had these sandwiches all of your life.

The cheese is ultra-molten and soft, while the bread is super crispy and crunchy, making for the best sandwich texture. 

Make sure to eat these Mozzarella in Carrozza right away, giving you the perfect fried cheesy experience. It seriously has the fried mozzarella stick vibe but in bready sandwich form, which is seriously a sleeper of a recipe that everyone needs to try.