In the back of my memory I'm hearing my Grandma saying, "
Petey, you wanna grilla cheese?"  and I'm answering, "Yes PLEASE!!".  She'd get out a little black cast iron pan and add
some olive oil ( are you still a non-believer??  are you still afraid to use olive oil to fry in??  don't be...use it), pull out a
few slices of "American" bread (white sandwich bread)  or left over slices of Italian bread, and place some sliced
mozzarella in between the bread, then give it an egg and cheese bath, then fry it on both sides....done.  My mom did
the same thing, although when she said grilled cheese, she meant American or Velveeta between the American
bread, outsides spread with some butter, then grilled in a pan.  Years later, as the waves of all foods Italian started
to cover the land we live in, savvy chefs and hipster foodies caught onto one of the most popular and enduring of all the
immigrant Southern Italian foods ever,  Mozzarella en Carrozza.  So named since the bread carried the cheese,
Cheese in a Carriage...come romantico!!!  This dish primarily hails from the denizens of Naples and it's surrounding
towns and villages.  The variations now are endless, some with breadcrumbs, some not.   As is true with most
foods, the ones that taste the best to you are generally how you had them either the first time, or growing up.

       Think of this version, which is how I was taught, as a Monte Cristo sandwich without the meat, change the
Swiss cheese to Mozzarella, and no maple syrup (please!)..infact, I like this treat with no additional sauces.  In
this T.G.I.Fridays culture we are unfortunately cultivating, there is the need to serve EVERYTHING with a dipping
sauce. OK, a garlicky marinara might be nice, but not necessary, so I will not include that with this recipe.  It is
rich and tastes like, hmmm, the way the San Gennaro Feast smells, or the kitchen in a Little Italy restaurant, or
for some of us, home.  If it smells and tastes like home, all is perfect.  The good news is, that if your home doesn't
or did not smell like an Italian kitchen, then you can make this and get that experience.  As I said, this comes from
the Friggiterie of Naples, the Fry shops, Southern Italian Fast food!  You can't bake this or make it on a panini
press...get out the cast iron skillet.

Start with good, fresh mozzarella..a 1/2 lb will make about  4 sandwiches, which become 8 triangles.  Slice the
cheese about 1/8 of an inch. 
   Check out that
milky love...one of the best cheeses available...If you don't have a good Italian Salumeria Latticini (deli)
near you that makes this product fresh, look in the cheese section of most good  Supermarkets.  There are
many that carry a close to fresh product, namely Bel Gioioso (http://www.belgioioso.com/FreshMozz.htm ).
Now take 8 slices of good white sandwich bread and cut off the crusts.  Save those little bits and toast
then, crumble them into breadcrumbs for later use (not in this recipe, just don't throw anything out that
you can use later in another dish).



Now place 2 -3 slices in on four slices, top with the remaining slices, then slice on
a diagonal. You now have 8 triangles.


Set these aside for a moment.    In a medium sized bowl, beat 3 fresh large eggs, 1/2 cup of
grated pecorino romano, 2 tbs. of chopped flat leaf parsley, some fresh ground black pepper
till yellow and foamy.


Look at the color of those yolks...these beauties came from Iceberg Farms in Howell, N.J., farm fresh, free range birds
produce amazing eggs.  In a cast iron skillet, heat 2 tbs. of olive oil till almost smoking, then lower to medium heat.  Dip
gently, one by one, the triangles with two hands carefully keeping the sandwiches together (takes a little juggling), letting
some of the excess egg drip off.  Just make sure both sides are submerged and coated..then drop into the hot oil.  It
takes about 3 minutes per side to cook these.  You don't want the sugars in the cheese and eggs to burn, it's a nasty
flavor then.


Transfer them to drain on paper towels.  Then serve immediately...so good as the eggy
custardy coating and bread give way to the pully, milky smooth mozzarella.  Nothing better
If you must ( i can't stop you!) have a marinara dipping sauce on the side..but...be bold,
be authentic...this is not something you order at the Olive Garden...this is the real thing..
Enjoy it  as a snack, as a meal with a salad, maybe of tomatoes and garlic on the side, or
as an appetizer, you make the call.