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PORTUGAL'S MOST FAMOUS SANDWICH: FRANCESINHA

Picture for Portugal's Most Famous Sandwich: Francesinha

588,984 views  A famous Portuguese sandwich: Francesinha. This sandwich fuses French and Portuguese cuisine and is known as a "Little French" sandwich or a Portuguese croque monsieur.

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INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

INGREDIENTS

Fries

Fries

large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick sticks

3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick sticks

Vegetable oil, for frying

Vegetable oil, for frying

Gravy

butter

1 tbsp butter

vegetable oil

1 tbsp vegetable oil

yellow onion, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

½ cup ruby port

1 bottle (11 oz) Portuguese lager (or another mild lager)

piri piri sauce (or any spicy pepper sauce)

2 tsp piri piri sauce (or any spicy pepper sauce)

chicken stock

2 cups chicken stock

(14 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

bay leaves

1 ½ bay leaves

Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water (for thickening)

2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water (for thickening)

Sandwich

Sandwich

pork sausage

1 pork sausage

1 linguica or chorizo sausage

small chuck steak (about 6 oz), thinly sliced and pounded

1 small chuck steak (about 6 oz), thinly sliced and pounded

ham

2 slices ham

sandwich bread

4 slices sandwich bread

4 slices Havarti or Munster cheese (plus more if desired)

egg

1 egg

Salt and pepper to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

TOOLS

Medium saucepan

Large frying pan

Baking sheet

Blender or immersion blender

Strainer

Deep fryer or large pot for frying

DIRECTIONS

1.

Prepare the Fries:

2.

Blanch the potatoes: Place cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water and soak for 30 minutes to remove excess starch.

3.

First fry: Heat oil to 300°F (150°C) and fry potatoes in batches until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.

4.

Second fry: Increase oil temperature to 375°F (190°C) and fry again until golden and crispy. Set aside on paper towels to drain.

5.

Make the Gravy:

6.

In a saucepan, melt butter with oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.

7.

Stir in port and lager, and cook until reduced by half.

8.

Add piri piri sauce, chicken stock, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes.

9.

Remove bay leaves, then blend the sauce until smooth using a blender or immersion blender.

10.

Strain the sauce, return it to the pan, and add cornstarch slurry to thicken slightly. Keep warm.

11.

Assemble and Cook the Sandwich:

12.

Prepare the meats: Split the sausages in half lengthwise. Season the steak with salt and pepper, score it lightly, and pound until thin.

13.

In a frying pan over medium heat, cook the sausages until browned. Sear the steak for 1-2 minutes per side. Set aside.

14.

Assemble the sandwich: On one slice of bread, layer 1 slice of ham, the pork sausage, linguica, steak, and another slice of ham. Top with another slice of bread.

15.

Melt cheese on top: Layer cheese slices over the sandwich, leaving a small circular gap in the middle for the egg yolk.

16.

Cook the Egg and Serve:

17.

In the same frying pan, melt a small amount of butter over medium heat and cook the egg sunny-side up.

18.

Place the fried egg on top of the sandwich, nestled into the cheese gap.

19.

Broil the sandwich: If desired, broil the sandwich for 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese further.

20.

Serve the sandwich with fries around it. Pour warm gravy over the top, making sure to cover the cheese and allow it to melt down over the sandwich and fries.

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