Spiedino Alla Romana

Anyone know a good place to find this?

It is layers of bread, mozzarella, sometimes prosciutto - fried, served with an anchovie caper sauce.

I used to know a few places that served it, but they closed.

Thanks,
Doug

[porkpa]

Its one of my very favorite dishes. I've had it wherever I've seen it offered on a menu - from New York to Miami; from Philadelphia to San Francisco. You will have to go through the Lincoln Tunnel to find the very best that I've ever experienced. Its to be found at a place called If Villaggio in Carlstadt New Jersey. Its located on Rte 17 not too far from the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Its worth the trip. Its that good.

[cataldo26]

Without any question, the very best Spiedini anywhere is made at Angelo's on Mulberry Street and yes use their bread to soak up the sauce----absolutely delicious!!!!!!!!!!!

[francira]

My mom and G'ma used to make it when I was little and they called it Spedini too. This may be a hike, but if you have friends or family or near Bridgeport CT check out 'Ralph n Rich's' new location downtown on Main. If you like the anchovies you have to request that they include them. Theirs is fantastic! I live 250 miles away so I make my own once in a while and I'm still trying to perfect my recipe...but there is nothing like letting the pros do it for you.

The first and best Spiedino alla Romana that I had was years ago at Cono's on Graham Avenue. I thought it was perfect with a very flavorful sauce. It doesn't seem the same lately. The sauce isn't as smooth and rich as I remember it and the fried bread and mozzarella seems a little too oily but it's definitely worth trying.

I've also some very good Spiedino all Romana at Il Toscano in Douglaston.

All these responses interest me, too, because this is one of my favorites!!

I too am a big fan...my mom makes it best, but, Pasquale Rigoletto on Arthur Ave. in the Bronx (across Fordham Road from Fordham U.) is the best i've had in a restaurant.

I agree with you 100% !!!! Outside of homemade.....Rigoletto's on Arthur Ave makes the best. They also make a wonderful stuffed pork bracciole that comes pretty close to what we would have at home too.

Go to Angelo's on Mulberry St.
As light and airy as a fried block of cheese can be.
(Don't forget to save some bread for the sauce !!)

When I first read your question, something jarred. Now I know what it is: the dish you describe is "mozzarella in carroza," a Neapolitan dish. "Spiedini" is a dish of grilled, skewered meat; it's a specialty much beloved as "spiedies" in a city in upstate NY (can't find the clipping right now, but there was a piece years ago in the NY Times).

So: which do you mean?

The confusion is that the name the cheese/bread dish was given at the Grotta Azzurra was, in fact, Spedini alla Romano. Right or wrong, that's the name four (maybe more?) generations of New Yorkers learned for fried bread with mozzarella.

Oh. Never eaten there. When I worked at Zeppole (the first of Drew Nieporent's places to close), it was just mozzarella in carrozza.

The best Spiedini alla Romana I've ever had in New York was at Brunelli, up at 1409 York Avenue at 75th Street [phone]. I'm sure they still serve it. The place feels very Arthur Avenue, and I had a very good ride there. Great veal chop Milanese, too.

Yeah, the best I ever ate was from the now closed Grotta Azzurra. A reasonable facsimile thereof can be found at Benito II, around the corner,on Mulberry Street. Not the same, mind you, but not bad.