Crisp on the outside, stringy inside: mozzarella in carrozza ("mozzarella in a carriage") is one of the fried foods that win us over every time in Naples. It is a humble dish, born so that nothing went to waste, and that is exactly why we find it so honest. Here is where it comes from and how we make it, following tradition.
A dish born from leftovers
Mozzarella in carrozza comes from the home cooking of Campania, traditionally in the early decades of the 19th century, as a way of using up stale bread and mozzarella a few days old, by then too dry to be eaten fresh. Fried together, bread and cheese became a new dish.
There are several explanations for the name. The simplest: the bread acts as a carriage for the mozzarella, which travels inside it. Another recalls that round loaves were once used, and the slices looked like the wheels of a cart.
The ingredients
For 4 people (8 "carriages"):
- 16 slices of sandwich bread or stale rustic bread, crusts removed
- 300 g of mozzarella or fior di latte a day or two old
- 3 eggs, half a glass of milk, salt
- flour, breadcrumbs (optional)
- seed oil for frying
The traditional method
- Slice the mozzarella and leave it to drain in a sieve for a few hours, or pat it very dry with kitchen paper: this is the secret to stopping it from oozing out.
- Place a slice of mozzarella between two slices of bread, leaving a clear border, and press the edges together firmly.
- Coat the carriages in flour, then in the eggs beaten with the milk and salt. Leave them to soak for a few minutes so that the bread absorbs it.
- If you want a firmer crust, coat them in breadcrumbs too.
- Fry in very hot oil, at around 170 °C, turning once, until golden on both sides.
- Drain them on kitchen paper and serve immediately, piping hot.
The variations
The most common variation adds a fillet of salted anchovy alongside the mozzarella, and it is much loved in Rome too. Some add a slice of cooked ham, others prefer to bake it in the oven for a lighter version. In many Neapolitan friggitorie (fried-food shops) you will find it in a small size, as part of the cuoppo (paper cone of fried food) or among the starters at a pizzeria. You can use buffalo mozzarella, but it needs draining for even longer.
Where to taste it and what is nearby
In Naples you will find it in the friggitorie of the historic centre, but it is popular throughout the region, from the plain around Capua to the Salerno area. To get to know the main ingredient read Mozzarella di bufala campana DOP and, for the anchovies, Salted anchovies. For other traditional dishes there are Typical Neapolitan dishes, Typical dishes of Salerno and What to eat in Naples; for the city, start with Naples and its surroundings.
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