Shelly's Recipe

SPIEDINI ALLA ROMANO

Category: Sandwiches

8 tbsp plus 1 tsp unsalted butter
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
4 anchovy fillets, drained and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup white wine and chicken stock
1 tbsp tiny nonpareil capers, drained
5 large basil leaves, sliced
Salt and pepper
1 small round loaf day-old or slightly stale rustic bread
2 cloves, peeled and sliced
1 lb fresh mozzarella ball

In a small saute pan, heat 1 tsp butter medium heat. When is starts to sizzle, add shallots and cook them for about 2 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Add anchovies and rub them into the shallots with the back of a fork. Stir them for about 1 minute longer.

Add the wine and cook the mixture for about 30 seconds until it is heated through. Add stock, increase the heat to medium-high, bring the sauce to a boil, and cook it rapidly for 1 minute.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining butter, a tbsp at a time, whisking the sauce after each addition until it thickens and all the butter is incorporated.

Stir in the capers, basil and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside, covered, to keep warm.

Preheat oven to 350. Cut a slice about 1 inch thick off each end of the loaf to square it. (Reserve the slices for croutons or bread crumbs.) Cut the loaf into 5 (1/2 inch) thick slices. Trim any crust from the bread and then cut each slice so that is measures 4 x 2 1/2 inches. Lightly toast the bread slices. While they are warm, rub both sides of the garlic halves.

Cut the mozzarella into 4 (1/2 inch) thick slices cut to fit the top of the bread. Stack the bread and cheese, beginning and ending with the bread, so that you end up with a tall sandwich with 5 slices of bread and 4 slices of cheese.

Spear the sandwich with an 8 inch wooden skewer. Push the skewer all the way through so it will hole the spiedini in place as it cooks. Transfer to a shallow pan and bake for about 15 minutes or until the bread is crisp and the cheese melts. Using tongs, turn the dish holding the spiedini at least twice, so that the bread browns on all sides and the cheese melts evenly.

Transfer the spiedini to a serving platter, remove the skewer, pour the sauce over the sandwich, and serve. Cut it before serving.