A microelectronic unit includes a carrier structure having a front surface, a rear surface remote from the front surface, and a recess having an opening at the front surface and an inner surface located below the front surface of the carrier structure. The microelectronic unit can include a microelectronic element having a bottom surface adjacent the inner surface, a top surface remote from the bottom surface, and a plurality of contacts at the top surface. The microelectronic element can include terminals electrically connected with the contacts of the microelectronic element. The microelectronic unit can include a dielectric region contacting at least the top surface of the microelectronic element. The dielectric region can have a planar surface located coplanar with or above the front surface of the carrier structure. The terminals can be exposed at the surface of the dielectric region for interconnection with an external element.