Spiedini Alla Romano
These Spiedini Alla Romano are a delightful Italian appetizer that balances salty, savory, and creamy flavors in every bite. Crispy Italian bread is sliced into sturdy spears, each carefully stuffed with delicate slices of fresh mozzarella. Once baked until golden and bubbly, they are finished with a luxurious warm sauce made from melted butter, minced garlic, and mashed anchovy fillets. The result is a rich, umami-packed dish with a satisfying crunch from the toasted bread and a gooey, melty center. Perfect for entertaining friends or as an elegant starter for a dinner party, these skewers are easy to eat and impossible to resist. Serve them warm for the best texture and flavor experience.
Description
These Spiedini Alla Romano are a delightful Italian appetizer that balances salty, savory, and creamy flavors in every bite. Crispy Italian bread is sliced into sturdy spears, each carefully stuffed with delicate slices of fresh mozzarella. Once baked until golden and bubbly, they are finished with a luxurious warm sauce made from melted butter, minced garlic, and mashed anchovy fillets. The result is a rich, umami-packed dish with a satisfying crunch from the toasted bread and a gooey, melty center. Perfect for entertaining friends or as an elegant starter for a dinner party, these skewers are easy to eat and impossible to resist. Serve them warm for the best texture and flavor experience.
Ingredients
- 3 3-ounce or 2 4 ounce hero loaves of Italian bread
- 1 8 ounce ball of mozzarella
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 8 flat anchovy fillets
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup butter
Directions
- 1 Preheat oven to 375°F.
- 2
Trim crusts and ends from bread; cut small loaves in half crosswise, larger ones into thirds, resulting in six pieces about 1.5 inches high and wide and 2.5 inches long.- 3
Starting at one end of each piece, cut four slits one half inch apart, cutting just to about one-quarter inch of the bottom so that the slices will stay together and form a kind of fan.- 4
Cut the ball of mozzarella into thirds, then cut each third in half. Cut each piece of cheese into 4 slices one-quarter inch thick and about an inch square.- 5
Fit cheese slices into the slits in each stick of bread as neatly as possible.- 6
Gently thread bread and cheese on skewers.- 7
Holding the skewers upright, brush the bread with melted butter.- 8
Arrange the skewers on a foil-covered baking sheet.- 9
Bake for five minutes, or until the cheese melts.- 10
Meanwhile, mash the anchovy fillets with a fork to make a paste.- 11
Put the garlic through a press and mix it into the anchovies.- 12
Melt the 1/2 cup butter in a small skillet over low heat.- 13
Add the anchovy and garlic mixture and stir until smooth, well blended and hot.- 14
To serve, slide the toast and cheese off the skewers onto small plates and pour the anchovy sauce over them.NoteEnsure the bread is sturdy enough to hold the cheese without falling apart. Italian hero bread or ciabatta works well.
If you dislike whole anchovy fillets, ensure they are mashed thoroughly into a smooth paste for the sauce.
Serve immediately while the bread is crispy and the cheese is molten.
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