Francesinha Sandwich
A hearty and decadent Portuguese sandwich layered with multiple meats, covered in cheese, and smothered in a rich beer and tomato sauce.
2h6Servings
Nutrition
687kcal
35gProtein
28gCarbs
49gFat
Ingredients
FRIES
Potato
3 pieces
Vegetable Oil
1000 ml
Salt
To taste
to taste
SAUCE
Butter
1 tbsp
Olive Oil
1 tbsp
Yellow Onion
1 piece
Ruby Port Wine
½ cup
Portuguese Lager
1 bottle
Piri Piri Sauce
2 tsp
Chicken Stock
2 cups
Diced Tomatoes
1 can
Bay Leaf
2 pieces
Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp
Cornstarch
Mixed with water to form slurry
1 tbsp
SANDWICH
White Bread
2 slices
Mortadella
2 slices
Pork Sausage
1 piece
Linguiça Sausage
1 piece
Steak
1 piece
Cheese Slices
5 slices
Egg
1 whole
Equipment
Immersion Blender
Cast Iron Skillet
Fine Mesh Sieve
Instructions
1Prepare the Fries
15m
15mCut Potatoes
Peel the potatoes and cut them into half-inch thick batons.
Blanch Fries
Place the cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water and let them blanch for at least 30 minutes to remove excess starch.
Dry Fries
Drain the potatoes and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels.
2Make the Sauce
45m
45mSauté Aromatics
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add the chopped yellow onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened and slightly colored.
Deglaze and Simmer
Add the port wine and beer to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer and let it reduce by about 30-50%. Stir in the piri piri sauce, chicken stock, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce.
Thicken and Blend
Let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Blend the sauce using an immersion blender until smooth. If too thin, whisk in a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) until desired consistency is reached.
Strain Sauce
Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure a smooth texture. Keep warm.
3Cook the Meats
20m
20mPrepare Steak
Score the steak with a knife to tenderize it. Pound it flat to about 1/4 inch thickness.
Sear Steak
In a hot cast iron skillet with a little oil, sear the steak on both sides until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Cook Sausages
In the same skillet, cook the pork sausage and linguiça sausage until browned and cooked through. Slice the linguiça in half lengthwise and press it cut-side down into the pan to create a flat surface.
4Assemble and Fry Sandwich
25m
25mLayer Sandwich
On one slice of white bread, layer mortadella, then the cooked pork sausage, followed by the linguiça sausage, and finally the steak. Top with cheese slices.
Top Sandwich
Place the second slice of bread on top. Carefully place the assembled sandwich into the hot skillet with a little oil, cut-side down.
Fry Sandwich
Fry the sandwich for a few minutes on each side until the bread is golden brown and toasted, and the cheese is melted. The sausages should be cooked through.
Fry Egg
While the sandwich is frying, fry an egg sunny-side up in a separate small pan with butter.
5Fry Fries (Second Fry)
10m
10mSecond Fry
Increase the oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Fry the blanched potatoes in batches for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
6Assemble and Serve
10m
10mPlate Sandwich
Place the fried sandwich on a plate. Arrange the crispy fries around the sandwich.
Top with Egg and Sauce
Carefully place the fried egg on top of the sandwich. Ladle the warm beer and tomato sauce generously over the sandwich, ensuring it covers the egg and cheese.
Serve
Serve immediately and enjoy this decadent Portuguese delicacy.
Tips
For extra crispy fries, consider a triple fry: blanch, first fry at a lower temperature, then second fry at a higher temperature.
The quality of the sausages significantly impacts the final flavor, so choose good quality pork and linguiça.
Don't be afraid to be generous with the sauce; it's a key component of the francesinha experience.
If you can't find linguiça, a spicy chorizo can be a good substitute, though the flavor profile will differ.