- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 440 kcal
Quick summary
“Classic Porto sandwich assembled with sliced bread, grilled sirloin steak, and fried calabresa sausage, covered with prato cheese and beer and tomato sauce. A hearty and comforting dish that serves four people gratinated in a hot oven.”
What you need to know
- The top sirloin steak combined with calabresa slices makes up the juicy, substantial filling characteristic of this dish.
- The blended beer sauce with peeled tomato and mustard results in a smooth texture and slightly spicy palate.
- The oven at 180°C melts the prato cheese on top and heats all the layers of the filling with the boiling sauce.
Ingredients
Main
- 4 slices of sandwich bread
- 300g of Sirloin steak
- 100g calabresa sausage, sliced
- 100g of prato cheese
- 1 can peeled tomatoes
- 1 cup of beer
- 1 tablespoon of mustard
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Principal
- Start by seasoning the steak with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat a skillet and grill the steak until it is at the desired point, set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the sausage and fry until browned.
- In a pan, sauté the onion and garlic until transparent.
- Add the peeled tomatoes, beer, and mustard. Cook for about 15 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to crush the sauce until you get a creamy consistency.
- Assemble the francesinha on a platter: start with a slice of bread, add the steak, the sausage, and cover with another slice of bread.
- Repeat the process for the other portions.
- Pour the sauce over the bread layers and finish with the cheese slices on top.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 10-15 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Chef's tips
- Toast the bread slices in a skillet before assembling so they can hold the moisture of the sauce without getting soggy.
- Let the steak rest for two minutes after grilling to hold the meat juices before assembling on the slices.
- Blend the sauce with a hand blender carefully while warm to emulsify the sauteed onion and garlic well.
Variations
- Add a slice of good quality cooked ham between the steak and the calabresa sausage rounds in the filling.
- Place a fried egg with a runny yolk over the melted cheese before drizzling the final ladle of hot sauce.
- Add a small glass of Port wine or brandy to the beer sauce reduction during cooking.
Substitutions
- The top sirloin steak can be substituted with rump steak, tenderloin, or thinly sliced pork loin.
- Calabresa sausage can be swapped for fresh skinless Italian sausage or traditional meat chorizo.
- Prato cheese can be replaced with mozzarella or soft gouda cheese that melts easily.
How to store
Consume the assembled sandwich shortly after baking; do not store the ready-made snack, as the bread gets soggy and falls apart. If there are separate ingredients left over, keep the sauce and meats in the refrigerator in closed containers for up to 3 days.
Can it be frozen?
Do not freeze the assembled sandwich, as the bread softens and the cheese loses its elastic structure. The cooked beer sauce can be frozen in a closed container for up to 60 days, heating in the pan before drizzling over the dish.
What to serve with
Serve in a shallow bowl with crispy shoestring fries to dip in the excess hot sauce from the dish. A well-chilled light pilsner beer is the classic companion that cleanses the palate between bites.
Frequently asked questions
How to melt the cheese without burning the top of the recipe?
Keep the oven at 180°C on the center rack and turn off as soon as the cheese is completely melted and golden.
Which bread variety holds up best to hot sauce?
Thick slices of toasted white bread or rustic homemade bread with a firm crust offer great structural support.
Does the alcohol content of the beer remain in the sauce after boiling?
The 15-minute boil evaporates almost all the alcohol from the drink, leaving only the rich aromas of malt and hops.
Can I make the sauce without using a mixer or blender?
Yes, chop the onion very finely and pass the cooked sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, mashing with the back of a spoon.
