Brother-in-Law Food: Spiedini Romana II

I have great sister-in-laws, I am just lucky that way. But I really lucked out in the brother-in-law department.
My sister married a great guy and my husband's brothers are great guys too.

What makes you a great brother-in-law in my book?

First: you ask for second and third helpings at all meals prepared by yours truly.

Second: you give compliments, and thank you emails the next day, telling me how delicious the food was.

Third: you ask for a takeout container to go, so you can have leftovers for lunch the next day.

If you feel like this fits your personality, and would like to marry one of my siblings or my husband's siblings, (I think they are all taken), then you qualify as a great brother in law.

All joking aside, my brother in laws are just all around nice guys (& they like to eat!).

For my brother in law John's birthday dinner last weekend, I made Mario Batali's Spiedini alla Romana. Last time I made his breaded and fried version of mozzarella & bread skewers with anchovy sauce, which was much heavier because I went all out with the garlic, anchovy and caper sauce.

This recipe was much easier & lighter because there was no flour coating, you just fry up the skewers straight up and the sauce is only white wine and anchovies.



Important note: you have to work quickly with this recipe, so the fresh mozzarella doesn't ooze out all over the pan.
It was a bit of a pain, and because there was no egg or flour coating, the cheese did stick a bit to the pan, but it will solidify again once it is resting on a platter, while you are making the quick pan sauce.

The anchovy sauce is sublime. It's a bit decadent, but isn't that what birthdays are all about?



Spiedini alla Romana Part 2 (adapted from Mario Batali)

2 cups (1-inch) bread cubes
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 anchovy fillets, rinsed, drained, boned and finely chopped
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons basil, cut into chiffonade
Pinch hot chili flakes

Skewer bread and cheese, alternating cheese and bread.

Heat oil in a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, add the skewers and cook until crusty, about 2 minutes total, turning so each side gets crusty.



Remove from pan with a fish spatula (easiest way to get the suckers out of the pan) to a platter. Add the anchovies and white wine to the pan. Swirl the pan over medium heat to deglaze and, if necessary, scrape with a wooden spoon. Add the parsley, basil and chili flakes, and cook for 1 more minute. Drizzle the sauce over the skewers and serve at once.

Too bad there were no leftovers to pack up for lunch the next day, they disappeared so quickly.
I liked the pieces of burned cheese on top of the bread cubes. These were inhaled in about 5 minutes.



This is the perfect brother in law food.