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.jpg) The francesinha on a saucy dish | |
| Type | Sandwich |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Porto, Portugal |
| Main ingredients | Bread,ham,linguiça, fresh sausage (chipolata), steak or roast meat,cheese, spicedtomato-and-beer sauce |
| Variations | Egg atop, different proteins inside |
Francesinha (Portuguese pronunciation:[fɾɐ̃sɨˈziɲɐ] meaninglittle French girl orlittle French woman[1][2]) is a Portuguesesandwich, originally fromPorto, made with layers of toastedbread and assorted hot meats such as roast, steak, wet-curedham,linguiça, orchipolata over which sliced cheese is melted by the ladling of a near-boiling tomato-and-beer sauce called molho de francesinha.[1] It is typically served withFrench fries.
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The francesinha is a 20th-century creation attributed to Daniel David de Silva[3] who, upon returning toPortugal from time spent inFrance andBelgium, tried to adapt thecroque-monsieur to Portuguese tastes. In 1953, he introduced a sandwich with local meats and a custom beer-and-tomato sauce at A Regaleira, a restaurant in Rua do Bonjardim inPorto. The francesinha quickly became a popular dish, and although it remains associated with the city, it can now be found throughout Portugal.
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There is no standardrecipe for the francesinha. Different restaurants in Portugal have special variations, such as:
Thefrancesinha especial (special francesinha) is a francesinha with egg and/or potato chips.[clarification needed] Other variations of the original include fillings such aspork,chicken,pastrami,tuna,cod, andvegetarian options.
Francesinha sauce varies, with each establishment having its variation. The only common ingredient is beer. Most, though not all, sauces aretomato based and vary in their degree of spiciness. The colour is usually red or orange.
Francesinha poveira is a form of francesinha distinctive toPóvoa de Varzim, north ofPorto, created in the early 1960s. The poveira form uses different bread and sauce to form a sandwich that can be eaten by hand.
Pica-pau is a breadless variant in which a steak is cut into bite-sized pieces and covered with sauce. The namepica-pau (woodpecker) references the traditional means of consumption with smallskewers ortoothpicks—making the diner "peck" at the dish.
The Daily Meal included the francesinha in their article "12 Life-Changing Sandwiches You've Never Heard Of".[4]
