Melanzane in Carrozza Recipe
A delicious Italian eggplant appetizer recipe, melanzane in carrozza are eggplant sandwiches with a slice of melted cheese in the center, breaded and fried until crisp.
Servings 16 sandwiches
Calories 221kcal
Ingredients
- 1 kg eggplants 2 medium Italian eggplants
- 400 grams cheese any variety that melts well such as mozzarella; caciocavallo; scamorza or fontina
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups unseasoned Italian breadcrumbs
- salt, to taste
- handful fresh basil leaves
- oil for frying such as vegetable, canola, avocado or peanut
Instructions
- Slice the eggplants crosswise into 0.5 cm rounds. Pair eggplant slices to make sandwiches. I managed to make 16.
- Slice cheese into 0.5 cm thick round slices to fit in the eggplant sandwich.
- Prepare your dredging station: place flour with a pinch of salt in a shallow bowl; beat eggs with a pinch of salt in a second bowl; and breadcrumbs with salt in a third bowl.
- Place a slice of cheese and 1 or 2 basil leaves on an eggplant and top with a second eggplant round. Continue with the remaining ingredients.
- Dredge each eggplant sandwich in the flour, shaking off excess. Then dredge in the eggwash allowing excess to drip off. Lastly, dredge in the breadcrumbs. Be sure to dredge the edges of each sandwich as well.
- Preheat oil to the depth of 2 cm in a deep skillet over medium high heat.
- Fry each eggplant sandwich until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel covered baking sheet to absorb excess oil.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Substitutions and Variations
-Add a thin slice of tomato to each sandwich.
-For a non-vegetarian option add a slice of your favorite cured meats such as prosciutto or mortadella.
-Use any variety of cheese that melts well including mozzarella; scamorza or fontina.
-For extra flavor, add 2 tbsp. grated Parmigiano cheese to the breading. Tips -Do not slice the eggplant more than 0.5 cm thick or they will not cook thoroughly when fried.
-Be sure to dredge the edges in the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs to seal the sandwiches when frying. To Bake Yes it can. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Place eggplant sandwiches on the baking sheet and drizzle extra olive oil over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Can they be made ahead? -Assemble in advance and keep refrigerated for a few hours before frying and serving your melanzane in carrozza.
-Alternately, once fried they can be reheated until hot and crisp in a 350 degrees F preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Storage Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 day.s
-For a non-vegetarian option add a slice of your favorite cured meats such as prosciutto or mortadella.
-Use any variety of cheese that melts well including mozzarella; scamorza or fontina.
-For extra flavor, add 2 tbsp. grated Parmigiano cheese to the breading. Tips -Do not slice the eggplant more than 0.5 cm thick or they will not cook thoroughly when fried.
-Be sure to dredge the edges in the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs to seal the sandwiches when frying. To Bake Yes it can. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Place eggplant sandwiches on the baking sheet and drizzle extra olive oil over the top. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Can they be made ahead? -Assemble in advance and keep refrigerated for a few hours before frying and serving your melanzane in carrozza.
-Alternately, once fried they can be reheated until hot and crisp in a 350 degrees F preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Storage Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 day.s
Nutrition
Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 257mg | Potassium: 204mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 332IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 208mg | Iron: 1mg