Mozzarella in Carrozza
A curious concoction of thin slices of bread, mozzarella, a single anchovy filet and then mozzarella and bread again. Pressed together and dipped lightly in beaten egg then fried ‘til crisp in olive oil.
This is one of those distant cousins to both Croque Monsieur/Madame and Monte Cristo. I’ve seen it in different forms, I was taught a skewered version with an anchovy dipping sauce but I’ve also had one in Rome near Piazza del Popolo that was more like a fried sandwich. This one at Nonna Betta’s in the Jewish Ghetto was the best I ever had.
When I went to the counter to pay the owner and the waiter were discussing something and when I looked to see what it was I saw it was this marvelous artichoke sketch. I complemented them and asked which one drew it and they both claimed it was them. I left and they were still arguing about it.
A simple artichoke is much to argue about! After all, Nonna Betta’s claims their Carciofi alla Giudia to be the best in Rome.
There are two main ways to have artichokes in Rome. Carciofi alla Giudia and Carciofi alla Romana. Aside from that you can find them as ingredients in dishes but primarily these two ways are how Romans like to eat them. Alla Giudia means “as done in Judea” which further means how the Jewish Romans in the Ghetto make them. Every restaurant in the Ghetto will have them on the menu and Nonna Betta has tables set up where they are constantly working on trimming them by the crate load trying to keep up with the demand. Carciofi alla Giudia are first fried at a low temperature then the leaves are pressed to flatten them, then they get fried a second time at a much higher temperature so that they become deliriously crispy. The heart remains soft. On my return to Rome in 2022 the first thing I did was order a plate of Carciofi alla Giudia at Nonna Betta’s.
Carciofi alla Romana are typically braised in a little white wine and herbs and garlic there is a particular breed of mild mint here called Mentuccia which when you don’t have it can be replicated with equal parts flat leaf parsley and mint. Also delicious. I think I like the fried ones more, who wouldn’t? But after a few days you start to crave something un-fried.
The source of the argument.
The artichoke prep table outside of Nonna Betta's
Carciofi alla Giudia
Carciofi alla Romana