Spiedini Alla Romana Food

SPIEDINI ALLA ROMANA

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 500°F.
• In a medium-sized skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallot and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until they are lightly browned.
• Add the anchovies and use the back of a fork to rub them into the shallots. Cook for about another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the wine and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the chicken stock and increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Let cook for 2 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium and add remaining butter, one tablespoon at a time, whisking often, until the sauce thickens a little.
• Stir in the capers, basil and parsley. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and remove from heat.
• Cut the ends off of the loaf of bread, and the sides, too, until you have a rectangular loaf of bread. Cut the loaf into 5 or 6 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch slices.
• Place the bread slices in the oven directly on the rack and toast them for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven.
• Using the cut side of the garlic, rub it all over both sides of each toasted slice of bread.
• Place one slice of bread on a cutting board and place a slice of the thick-cut mozzarella on the bread. Repeat this process, ending with the last piece of bread.
• Spear the sandwich with a wooden (or metal) skewer and push all the way through so it will hold in place while it bakes.
• Transfer to a shallow baking pan and place in the oven for 16 minutes. Use oven mitts and tongs to rotate the sandwich once every 4 minutes. (Some of the cheese will melt out of the sandwich, but that's okay, just push it back into place with a fork or spoon).
• Transfer the spiedini to a serving platter, remove the skewer, and pour the warm sauce all over it.
• You can cut the spiedini into individual servings, or serve as is, and let guests pull apart their own portion.

SPIEDINI ALLA ROMANA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200 degrees. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup olive oil and enough vegetable oil to reach one inch in depth to 375 degrees. Place a piece of bread on work surface. Top with 2 slices mozzarella. Cover with a second slice of bread. Repeat with remaining bread and cheese to make a multi-layered sandwich. Cut sandwich into four equal quarters, and place a 10-inch skewer through the center of each quarter. With a serrated knife, gently remove the crusts and discard.
• Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper, and pour into a shallow baking dish. Dredge sandwiches in flour, and shake off excess. Dip in egg mixture turning to coat on all sides. Transfer to hot oil. Fry, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides. Drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet, and place in oven to keep warm.
• In a medium skillet, heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and cook until golden. Add anchovies, and cook stirring until they almost disintegrate. Stir in white wine, lemon juice, and capers. Bring to a vigorous boil, and continue to boil until reduced by half.
• Stir parsley into reduced sauce. Remove skewers from sandwiches, and serve with sauce spooned lightly over sandwiches. Garnish with parsley sprigs.

SPEDINI

Steps:

• Place 1 slice of bread on working surface. Place 2 slices of prosciutto and 2 slices of mozzarella on top of bread. Place another slice of bread on top. Trim the crusts. Cut in half forming 2 rectangles and place 2 toothpicks through each of the rectangular sandwiches to hold together. Repeat using other 2 slices of bread, mozzarella, and prosciutto. Dredge each spedini in flour then dip in egg, covering all sides. Heat about 3 inches of vegetable oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Place spedini in pan and fry on both sides until brown. Place on serving plates and remove the toothpicks.

FRIED MOZZARELLA SANDWICH SKEWERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to lowest setting.
• Combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a shallow 9x9 baking dish.
• Beat until well mixed and set aside.
• Place flour in another shallow pan and set aside.
• Trim crusts off bread slices.
• Using 8 slices of bread, make a stacked sandwich, fitting the mozzarella between slices.
• Imagine the stack divided into 4 equal quadrants.
• Stick a sturdy skewer right through the center of each one of the quadrants.
• Using a serrate-edge knife, cut the stack downwards, so there are 4 separate stacks with a skewer through the center of each.Repeat with the remaining bread slices and cheese.
• Pour enough oil into a heavy pan to reach 1 1/2 inches deep.
• Bring oil up to 350 degrees.
• Line a baking sheet with several layers of paper towels.
• Dredge each skewered sandwich in the flour, to coat lightly.
• Dip each skewer sandwich in the egg mixture and allow to drain briefly.
• Don't soak the bread till it's soggy, just lightly coat.
• Place skewers in oil, frying and turning with tongs until golden brown and crusty, about 4 minutes a side.
• Repeat as necessary until all skewers are cooked.
• Set all aside on paper towels to drain.
• SAUCE:.
• Heat olive oil and garlic in a heavy pan over medium heat until garlic is golden.
• DO NOT OVERCOOK the garlic as it will become bitter.
• Stir anchovies into oil until they dissolve.
• Add capers and cook until they begin to sizzle.
• Add lemon juice and white wine.
• Bring all to a vigorous boil and add the stock.
• Boil until thickened slightly, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the parsley and remove from heat.
• Plate the sandwiches, 2 to a plate.
• Remove the skewers if desired.
• Serve the sauce in bowls on the side or poured around the sandwiches on the plate.