Francesinha

Francesinha is a Portuguese sandwich that originated in Porto. It consists of layers of meat, cheese, and bread covered with a spicy tomato sauce and served with french fries on the side. This hearty meal is often enjoyed as a comfort food and is considered a local specialty in Portugal.

To cook Francesinha, you will need:
– 1 loaf of white bread, sliced into thick pieces
– 1 lb beef steak, cut into thin strips
– 1 lb cured ham or pork roast, also cut into thin strips
– 6 slices of smoked sausage (such as chouriço), cut into thin rounds
– 2 oz. cheese curls (such as queijo fresco)
– 4 eggs
– 3 tbsp butter
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1 onion, diced
– 2 tbsp flour
– 2 cups beef broth
– 1 cup tomato sauce
– 2 tsp paprika
– 1 tsp cayenne pepper
– Salt and pepper to taste
– Olive oil for frying
– French fries, for serving

Instructions:
1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef strips, ham or pork roast, and smoked sausage. Cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
2. In the same skillet, melt 1 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and diced onion and cook until onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Sprinkle flour into the skillet and stir to combine with the onions and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then slowly pour in beef broth while continuously stirring to prevent lumps from forming.
4. Add tomato sauce, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir until well combined and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C).
6. Spread some butter on one side of each bread slice. Place a few slices of bread buttered-side down in the skillet and top with beef, ham or pork roast, smoked sausage, cheese curls, and another slice of bread. Butter the other side of the bread and place it in the skillet butter-side up. Repeat this process until all ingredients are used up.
7. Place a heavy plate or a cast-iron pan on top of each sandwich to press them down while they cook. Allow the sandwiches to cook for 5 minutes.
8. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and let it bake for 20 minutes.
9. While the sandwiches are baking, fry the eggs sunny-side up in a separate skillet.
10. Once the sandwiches are done baking, remove them from the skillet and place them on plates. Top each sandwich with a fried egg and serve immediately with French fries on the side. Enjoy your homemade Francesinha!

This recipe serves 4 people and takes approximately 50 minutes to prepare and cook.

Image model: PrefectPonyXL