Spiedino Alla Romana Recipe
To learn more, read "Anatomy of a Dish: Spiedino from Marco's" in our National edition.
Recipe adapted from Danny Amend, Marco's, Brooklyn
Spiedino alla Romana
Make grilled cheese, Italian-style, with this umami-packed version from Danny Amend of Marco's in Brooklyn.
Prep Time
20
minutes
Cook Time
5
minutes
Servings
4
servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- For the batter
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- For the sandwiches
- 8 ½-inch-thick slices of stale white bread
- 8 anchovy filets, finely chopped
- 1 ball buffalo mozzarella (about 8 ounces)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- For the parsley salad
- 1 cup loosely packed parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped dill
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallots
- 1 teaspoon capers (with brine)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- Make the batter: In a food processor, combine the milk, eggs and Parmesan cheese and process until smooth. Transfer the batter to a shallow dish and set aside.
- Make the sandwiches: Tear the mozzarella into four even pieces. Transfer the cheese to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and allow it to drain for a few minutes.
- Divide the mozzarella evenly over four slices of the bread, top each slice with some of the anchovies, and cover with the remaining bread slices to make 4 sandwiches. Using a sharp knife, trim off the crusts and cut each sandwich in half.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working with one sandwich at time, dredge both sides in the batter, allowing any excess to drip off. Cook, turning once, until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes per side.
- Meanwhile, make the parsley salad: In a medium bowl, combine the parsley, shallots, capers, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper and toss.
- Remove the sandwiches from the skillet and divide between four plates. Top with the parsley salad and serve.