Francesinha Recipe

Francesinha Recipe

Ingredients

Makes 2

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 2 minute steaks (about 5½oz/150g each), sliced
• 1 linguica sausage (Portuguese smoked sausage), sliced 1 cooking chorizo sausage, sliced
• 1 tsp superfine (caster) sugar
• 1 x 12fl oz (330ml) bottle beer (Super Bock if you want to be all authentic) 8oz (225g) can chopped tomatoes
• a dash of hot chili sauce
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp cornstarch (cornflour)
• 4 slices sturdy white bread (something like sourdough will work well) 2 slices cooked ham
• 4 thin slices Swiss (Emmenthal) cheese

Method

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan and gently soften the onion
2. Add the sliced steaks, linguica sausage, and chorizo and cook until the pieces of sausage are starting to crisp and caramelize and the steak is cooked through
3. Carefully remove the meat and set aside
4. Into the pan with the onions, add the sugar, beer, tomatoes, and a dash of hot chili sauce
5. Simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes or until beginning to thicken
6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) Gas 6
7. Taste the sauce, then season with salt and pepper
8. Mix the cornstarch (cornflour) with a splash of cold water, then stir into the sauce
9. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, until nice and thick
10. Remove from the heat
11. Place 2 slices of the bread, side by side, in a baking pan (tin), then add a layer of the cooked steak, sausage, and chorizo mixture to each, fol owed by a slice of ham
12. Add the remaining slices of bread and then put the cheese slices on top
13. Pour the sauce over the entire sandwiches
14. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling
15. Serve immediately

Full List of Portuguese Recipes
Full List of Dairy Recipes