Mozzarella in Carrozza Is Easiest in the Air Fryer

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Mozzarella cheese, specifically the low-moisture variety shaped into a brick, is one of those cheeses I can eat like apple slices. It’s a perfect snack, with more protein than a bowl of chips. However, I’ll occasionally pair it with some bread (to assure people I’m not a complete monster), and the Italian dish mozzarella in carrozza is the best way to do it. 

What is mozzarella in carrozza?

Mozzarella in carrozza is a simple comfort food-style sandwich made by placing a plank of the namesake cheese in between two slices of soft sandwich bread. The name translates to “mozzarella in a carriage.” The “carriage” is a sturdy, crunchy coating of egg, flour, and bread crumbs fried in oil, which is how I would prefer to be carried around too. This delightful Italian appetizer is traditionally fried in a pool of oil, but in honor of Air Fryday, I let my countertop convection oven do the work.

The breading is done with a standard double coating method. You dip the cheese sandwich in flour, then in scrambled egg, and finally in seasoned breadcrumbs. Let the slices dry for about 10 minutes, and then dip them again in both the egg and the breadcrumbs. The double-thick coating creates a discernible outer wall that helps keep the cheese inside the sandwich (and increases the crunch-factor).

As I mentioned, this breaded cheese sandwich would normally be fried in a half-inch of oil. While that is delicious, not everyone wants to deep fry, or even shallow fry—it uses a lot of oil, the clean-up is annoying, and I don’t know about you, but my whole apartment smells like a diner afterward. Air frying is a faster process, with a short cooking time and less cleanup, and it keeps the oily aroma to a minimum. Most importantly, the sandwich’s flavor and texture remain brilliant. It lacks nothing from the original, barring maybe the flavor of the oil; you still get all the crunchy breading and sumptuous melty cheese.

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Highly rated air fryers to consider:

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How to air fry mozzarella in carrozza

1. Assemble the sandwich 

I used soft wheat sandwich slices, but you can use white bread or potato bread. The soft, close texture is best for absorbing the egg wash, as opposed to a crusty bread with large air pockets.

To make two sandwiches, lay out four slices of bread. Slice a block of low-moisture mozzarella into two quarter-inch planks equatorially to make a single rectangle roughly as large as the sandwich bread. (If you use fresh mozzarella, dab the slices dry on a paper towel before putting it on the bread.)

Put two slices of cheese on two pieces of bread and top the sandwiches with the other bread slice. Trim off the edges, which will make breading them easier. Cut the sandwiches in half diagonally so you have four pieces.

2. Apply the coating

Scramble two eggs in a bowl with a bit of water and salt. Add flour to a large plate, and bread crumbs to a wide bowl. Working one at a time, coat each sandwich piece in the flour, then the egg wash, and then the bread crumbs. (Don’t forget to coat the edges too.)

Place the coated sandwiches on a wire rack positioned over a sheet tray. Repeat this with all the pieces and let them dry for about 10 minutes. Coat each sandwich one more time in the egg wash and then the bread crumbs. Let them dry on the wire rack again, for about five minutes this time. 

3. Air fry

Set your air fryer to 350°F on the “air fry” setting. Using an oil sprayer , spray a layer of neutral cooking oil onto the sandwiches. Make sure to get oil on each side. If you don’t have a sprayer, you can use a pastry brush to daub on a thin layer of oil. While you don’t need to submerge the sandwiches in a deep fryer, this coating of oil is necessary for crisping and browning the egg and bread crumb coating; otherwise it’ll just become a dusty crust. Air fry for seven or eight minutes, flipping the sandwiches carefully halfway through the cooking time. When you start to see the cheese escaping, they’re ready. 

I like to sprinkle these snacks with flaky salt as soon as they come out of the air fryer basket. They’re crunchy, gooey, and delightful as-is, or with a side of warm marinara sauce for dipping. 

Air Fryer Mozzarella in Carrozza Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 slices soft sandwich bread

• 2 thick slices low-moisture mozzarella cheese

• ½ cup flour

• 2 eggs

• 2 tablespoons water

• ¾ cup bread crumbs

• ½ teaspoon salt (divided into ¼ teaspoons)

• Flaky salt for finishing

1. Lay out the slices of bread. Put the two slices of cheese on two pieces of bread and top them with the other bread slices. Trim off the edges and cut the sandwiches in half diagonally so you have four pieces.

2. Scramble the eggs in a bowl with the water and a quarter-teaspoon of salt. Add the flour to a large plate, and mix the bread crumbs with the other quarter-teaspoon of salt in a wide bowl. Working one piece at a time, coat each sandwich in the flour. Coat them in the egg wash, and then in the bread crumbs. Be sure to coat the edges too. Place the coated sandwiches on a wire rack over a sheet tray. Let them dry for about 10 minutes. Coat each sandwich one more time in the egg wash and then the bread crumbs. Let them dry on the wire rack again for five minutes.

3. Set your air fryer to 350°F on the “air fry” setting. Using an oil sprayer, spray a layer of neutral cooking oil onto the sandwiches. Make sure to get oil on every side. Alternatively, you can use a pastry brush to apply a thin layer of oil. Air fry them for seven or eight minutes, flipping the sandwiches carefully halfway through the cooking time. Finish them off with a sprinkle of flaky salt and enjoy.