MATT: All right, so this is where we make our tomato sauce.

This is Erika.

She makes all the sauce here at Caruso's.

SETH: Hi Erika, you have a pretty important job here.

And what is this contraption?

MATT: This is called a tilt skillet.

SETH: A tilt skillet.

Well, I feel like it could double as a bathtub.

And so what goes into the sauce?

MATT: So we start with olive oil, garlic, onions, a little bit of salt, and our Italian seasoning.

Then we add our California tomatoes.

These are grown in Modesto, California.

The reason we go with these, they go from the field into the can within hours.

SETH: And so it's got that nice little balance of sweetness and acidity?

MATT: Sweetness, yeah, acidity for sure.

We tried a lot of tomatoes before we opened, and these are our favorite.

SETH: Well, there is just some incredible aroma coming out of the sauce.

So this is what's going to go on top of the chicken parm?

MATT: Yeah, underneath and on top.

SETH: So just smothered in sauce.

I love that.

Should we head out and get that prepped?

MATT: Yeah, for sure.

Let's get going.

SETH: Let's do it.

Thanks Erika.

All right, so this is the chicken parm pounding station, I guess.

MATT: It is.

Yep, absolutely.

SETH: And so what is it that you guys do to take the chicken parm to the next level?

MATT: So we source really good chicken, very, very important.

And we pound the chicken super thin.

It makes it super tender, cooks very, very quickly.

SETH: Yeah, because I've definitely had some chicken parm that spent a little too much time in the fryer.

MATT: Yeah, for sure.

SETH: And you've got just the medieval tool... MATT: Absolutely.

SETH: To get that job done.

MATT: Yeah.

So we take our chicken breasts, we trim it up a little bit, just so it's even in size here.

We put the plastic wrap on the chicken to protect it from tearing.

SETH: Are we talking flat side here or?

MATT: We use this side here.

This is a little bit too tough on the chicken.

SETH: Maybe a little aggressive, right?

MATT: Yeah, a little aggressive for sure.

SETH: Just tenderize it a little bit.

MATT: Yeah.

Veal you could be a little bit harder on, but the chicken you want to be nice and gentle.

Really take your time.

SETH: And so this is just happening all day, every day at Caruso's?

Just uh... MATT: Yeah, I mean it's about two, two and a half hours of prep a day is pounding chicken.

SETH: Oh my gosh.

MATT: Okay.

Take it out here.

SETH: Almost paper thin.

MATT: Almost paper thin.

Yeah.

So here we have seasoned flour, so make sure it's fully coated in flour.

Same thing with the egg.

And then into our seasoned house made breadcrumbs.

Lots of different seasonings in here.

Oregano, basil, salt, chili flake, garlic powder.

And then it's ready for the fryer.

So we take the chicken, we place it in the fryer gently.

We cook it until it's golden brown on one side, flip it over, golden brown on the other side.

Take it out, drain off any excess oil.

And we're going to season it with a little bit of salt.

Then it's ready for the tomato sauce and the mozzarella cheese.

We add a little bit of Parmesan cheese on top as well.

And then we place it into our salamander for everything to get all nice and bubbly.

And we serve that with a side of spaghetti marinara.

SETH: All right, Michael, Matt, I love how it's just swimming in that red sauce.

MATT: Oh wait, hold on one second.

Need a little bit of cheese.

SETH: Of course, a little more Parmesan on top.

Oh, that's the good stuff right there.

MATT: Good?

SETH: You nailed it.

That is exactly the flavor I was hoping to find when I came in here.

MATT: Good.

SETH: Perfect execution.

And the chicken, it's nice and juicy.

Got to go in for another bite here though.

And that sauce, what a nice little compliment that is to the chicken.

All right, I got to try a little of this pasta here as well.

Not the best bite.

MATT: Oh, Seth.

You got to go for the full bite here.

SETH: Oh, you got to dig deep?

MATT: Yeah, dig deep for the full spoonful.

SETH: Fork goes all the way in.

MICHAEL: That's the way.

I'd like to see you eat that bite.

MATT: That's not going to happen.

SETH: All right.

Well if you won't do it, I will.

I'll do anything for the camera.

I'm going to end up like the baby in the picture with the spaghetti bowl on his head.