the dish consists of a sliced filling pan fried in oil, layered with tomato sauce and cheese, and baked in an oven. in some kinds, the sliced filling is first dipped in beaten eggs and covered in flour or breadcrumbs before frying. some recipes use hard grated cheeses such as parmesan or pecorino romano, while others use softer melting cheeses like mozzarella or caciocavallo, or a combination of these.