Mozzarella En Carrozza

Ingredients

• 1 large, egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan or Romano, or a blend*, plus additional for serving, if desired
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 4 ounces fresh salted mozzarella*, coarsely chopped
• 4 slices Pepperidge Farm or other firm sandwich bread, crusts removed and saved
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ cup unseasoned dry breadcrumbs*
• ¾ to 1 cup olive oil
• puttanesca sauce*, heated

Directions

1. Whisk egg, grated cheese, and milk together in a shallow bowl, along with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Put half of the mozzarella atop of each of two of the bread slices, top with the remaining bread (in other words, make two sandwiches!), and press down gently.
3. Cut carefully on the diagonal.
4. Dredge triangles in flour, dip in egg-cheese mixture, then press gently into breadcrumbs, making sure that the sandwiches are coated on all sides. (Paper plates are useful here, and keep a towel nearby, your hands are going to get a b
5. Let sandwiches rest for a few minutes, while you heat the oil over medium-high heat. (I used a 12” pan, and ¾ cup of oil resulted in around a ¼” depth, which is about right.)
6. Test the oil, using a different reserved crust each time.
7. When one begins to sizzle as soon as it hits the oil, slide in the sandwiches.
8. Cook them 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side, until browned, shaking the pan a couple of time to slosh t
9. Serve with tomato sauce, and topped with grated cheese, if desired.