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SPIEDINI ALLA ROMANA

Name: Spiedini alla Romana
Yield: 3
Ingredients: 4 slices crusty bread (Italian loaf); 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced; fry oil of choice, as needed; 1/3 cup capers, drained & dried; 1 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 shallot, minced; 2 garlic cloves, smashed; 2 anchovy filets; 1/4 cup dry white wine; 3/4 cup chicken stock; 1 cup tomato puree; 1 (2 tbsp) lemon, juiced; 1/4 tsp dried oregano; 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish; kosher salt, to taste; freshly ground pepper, to taste; 2 tbsp cooking olive oil; 1 lemon, for garnish

If you can't get to Cafe Spaghetti, try the next best thing with this recipe for Spiedini alla Romana. If you've never heard of Cafe Spaghetti, well, still give it a whirl; grilled cheese in a tangy tomato sauce, what's not to love?

3 servings

original

metric

INGREDIENTS

4 slices crusty bread (Italian loaf)

8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

fry oil of choice, as needed

⅓ cup capers, drained & dried

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 shallot, minced

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 anchovy filets

¼ cup dry white wine

¾ cup chicken stock

1 cup tomato puree

1 (2 tbsp) lemon, juiced

¼ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish

kosher salt, to taste

freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 tbsp cooking olive oil

1 lemon, for garnish

TOOLS

Babish bread knife

Babish Chef’s knife

Babish cutting board

Babish measuring cups and spoons set

2 Babish skillet

slotted spoon

paper towels

Babish saucepan

wooden spoon

DIRECTIONS

Assemble the sandwiches by placing 2-3 slices of mozzarella between two slices of bread. Set aside until ready to use.

4 slices crusty bread (Italian loaf)

8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

Babish cutting board

Babish bread knife

Babish Chef’s knife

Preheat about ½ inch of fry oil to 350 °F in a medium high-walled skillet. Add the capers and fry for 1-2 minutes or until crispy and popped. Using a slotted spoon, remove the capers from the oil and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.

fry oil of choice, as needed

⅓ cup capers, drained & dried

Babish measuring cups and spoons set

Babish skillet

slotted spoon

paper towels

Prepare the sauce in a separate large saucepan. Melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until translucent, about 1 minute.

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 shallot, minced

Babish saucepan

Babish cutting board

Babish Chef’s knife

wooden spoon

Add the garlic cloves and anchovies to the skillet, and cook until the anchovies have mostly melted into a sauce, about 2-3 minutes.

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 anchovy filets

Babish cutting board

Babish Chef’s knife

Deglaze the pan with white wine, then cook for 1 minute longer or until the alcohol smell has burned off. Then, add the chicken stock and tomato puree. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 8-10 minutes.

¼ cup dry white wine

¾ cup chicken stock

1 cup tomato puree

Babish saucepan

wooden spoon

Stir in the lemon juice, oregano, red pepper flakes, and parsley. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.

1 (2 tbsp) lemon, juiced

¼ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish

kosher salt, to taste

freshly ground pepper, to taste

Babish measuring cups and spoons set

wooden spoon

Babish saucepan

Heat the cooking olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the prepared sandwiches to the preheated oil and cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.

2 tbsp cooking olive oil

4 slices crusty bread (Italian loaf)

Babish skillet

Serve the sandwiches with a generous amount of the reserved tomato sauce. Garnish with more parsley, a lemon wedge, and the crispy fried capers.

1 cup tomato puree

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish

1 lemon, for garnish

⅓ cup capers, drained & dried

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