Francesinha

Name: Francesinha
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Portugal
Ingredients: 8 slices thick white bread; 400g beef steak, thinly sliced; 200g linguiça or chorizo, sliced; 200g cured ham, sliced; 200g cheese (edam or gouda), sliced; 330ml beer (lager); 400g tinned tomatoes, blended; 1 tbsp whisky or brandy; 1 tbsp piri piri sauce; 1 tbsp butter

Portugal

The Francesinha was invented in Porto in the 1950s by Daniel da Silva who adapted the croque monsieur after returning from working in France and Belgium. Porto considers it their greatest culinary achievement.

Porto's legendary sandwich — layers of cured meats and steak between bread, smothered in melted cheese and a fiery beer and tomato sauce. Porto's proudest creation.

Prep

20 mins

Cook

30 mins

Difficulty

Medium

Calories

570 kcal

Serves

Calories are an estimate based on ingredients used

Ingredients

8 slicesthick white bread

400gbeef steak, thinly sliced

200glinguiça or chorizo, sliced

200gcured ham, sliced

200gcheese (edam or gouda), sliced

330mlbeer (lager)

400gtinned tomatoes, blended

1 tbspwhisky or brandy

1 tbsppiri piri sauce

1 tbspbutter

Method

Make sauce: fry onion and garlic in butter. Add tomatoes, beer, whisky and piri piri. Simmer 20 minutes until rich and slightly thick. Season.

Grill or pan-fry steak slices. Season.

Layer between bread: ham, linguiça, steak. Press top slice on.

Place sandwiches in an oven dish. Pour hot sauce generously over.

Cover entirely with cheese slices. Grill until cheese is completely melted and bubbling.

Serve immediately in the sauce with chips alongside.

Chef's Tip

The sauce must be very hot when poured over — this starts the cheese melting from below before it goes under the grill.

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Francesinha

Ingredients

Method

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